I prefer to explore the roads less traveled, and my pursuit of hidden treasures and uncommon encounters shows up in my artistic expression and enthusiasm not to follow the crowd. I look for the qualities in myself and other people that are often overlooked and misunderstood, and discern ways to draw them out as beautiful and necessary. I believe that being in agreement with our identity in Christ is foundational to wholeness, and the key in healing any deficits we may have in trying to find our worth and purpose in life. So I am passionate about human connection, and engaging the personal stories of others. I desire quality relationships that build, sharpen, and strengthen, and cultivating authentic environments where people can respectfully listen through their differences and still value one another.
As for my process, the Lord is the center of my life and my lens is shaped from my revelation in Him. I appreciate both unhindered creative flow and the scholarship of obstacles, and give both equal room to teach and guide me forward to speak truth and scribe hope and encouragement. As I’ve had to navigate being out of my own comfort zone over the years, I try to use those lessons to focus on the cathartic and life-changing victories that come from not partnering with fear in our unique and extraordinary assignments.
In 1996, my husband and I founded Mindwatering, the technology, design, and hosting headship of our 3 companies, growing a world wide client base from Mom and Pop businesses up through Fortune 500 companies. Soon thereafter, in 1998, we established our professional recording studio, South Main Studios. Inspired by our daughter’s first book and the scarcity of independent and affordable publishers who cultivated integrity and didn’t push a world view, in 2015 we launched a new media publishing company, South Main Media, focusing on positive and morally-uplifting narratives, music, and projects that are Kingdom-focused, thought-provoking, and engage and bridge the generations and shift hearts from darkness into light.
Included as my great joys and honors is being able to scribe the prophetic atmosphere when I paint and sketch during live worship at church, conferences, events, and other local and national outreaches, and lead soaking worship, which I’ve done since 2008. In 2021 I was appointed to the Public Art Commission for the Town of Wake Forest, North Carolina, and I will begin my second term as Commissioner in 2024. I oversee and instruct the Creative Visual Arts Ministry at New Day the Church at High Point, in High Point, North Carolina, where my husband and I are also ordained pastors and part of the leadership team. I’ve loved homeschooling for the last 20 years, spending time as a family traveling to historically significant places, and fixing our 1936 historic house, following the Lord’s invitation for our home to be a gathering place of healing, education, and reformation to the nations.
If you're a creative and need encouragement about stepping out in your own prophetic artistic expression, please drop me a note at my contact link. I'd love to connect.
(All text, image, and audio content is copyrighted © 2008-2023 Nicki Black. Scripture verses are the public domain.)