Nikki Gardner | Northampton, Massachusetts
Hello, I'm Nikki
I'm an artist, photographer, and writer. I love crafting a good story filled with light, personality, and vision whether that's in my studio, on location, or a mix of both. For my portrait work, I specialize in headshots, branding, and families. My style is clean, minimalistic, and timeless—capturing in the moment portraits that last a lifetime. I believe in the power of photography as a medium for stories, whether that's for your business or life. Creative visual stories and portraits for you and your brand. I can't wait to connect.
BIO
Nikki Gardner is a fine art, portrait, and editorial photographer based in Northampton, Massachusetts. She runs a boutique portrait studio with creative vision and refined craft. Nikki's style is clean and minimalistic, highlighting authentic connections and stories.
Nikki has also taught photography courses online, in workshops, and in the classroom, including traditional and digital darkroom courses as well as lighting and styling product photography workshops.
For more information on Nikki's work, to discuss new opportunities, commissions, and collaborations, or to book your portrait session, you can send an email.
ARTIST STATEMENT
My photographs explore narratives based on memory, space, and time. The images contain truth and fiction, exploring both experience and possibility as a means of reflecting on our collective humanity and fragility. Through the visual language of photography, I am searching for a way to interpret and often reinvent the world we live in through small storied moments. It is a way that I keep hold of life and the pulse that intimately connects us all.
CURRICULUM VITAE
EDUCATION
M.F.A. Writing and Poetics. Naropa University, Boulder, CO, May 2003. Advisor: Anselm Hollo. Thesis: “AFTERRIMAGES: splices from a motion picture machine.”
M.F.A. (Candidate) Photography. School of Art, Ohio University, Athens, OH, 1999-2001. Advisor: Erika Leppman.
B.A. Global Policy Studies. Chatham University, Pittsburgh, PA, May 1995. Advisor: Dr. Kathryn Rahman. Thesis: “An International Legal Framework for Women’s Human Rights.”
EXPERIENCE
Freelance Photographer & Writer. 2008 – 2019
Photography Workshop Instructor (created & taught online courses, including film, digital, and smartphone). 2013 – present
Graduate Instructor, Creative Writing, Naropa University. 2002
Graduate Instructor, Darkroom and Digital Photography, Ohio University. 2000 – 2001
EXHIBITIONS
"Lady Stardust," Corona: It's All About Light, Griffin Museum of Photography Online Exhibition. May-July 2020
"The Swimmer," Gallery A3's 6th Annual Juried Show, Amherst, MA. August 2019
“Hollywood,” Hope & Feathers 8th Annual SmallWorks Juried Show, Amherst, MA. December 2018-January 2019
"The Offering," The Art Salon's Red Dot Benefit Show, Northampton, MA. November 2018
"Portrait" and two from "The Swimmer Series," The Curated Fridge, Somerville, MA. December 2016-January 2017
"Metaphysics, No. 1," Joshua Tree National Park Council for the Arts, Twentynine Palms, CA. September 2016
"Arrangements," archival black & white pigment prints, Quarry Cafe, River Valley Market, Northampton, MA. September 2016
“Pomegranate Still Life,” archival black & white pigment prints, Gallery A3’s 3rd Annual Juried Show, Amherst, MA. July 2016
“Still Life Studies” (Apple and Plums, Brussels Sprouts, Pineapple, Pomegranate), four archival black & white pigment prints, Upstream Gallery, Hastings-on-Hudson, NY. February 2016
“Culinary Tools: A study in objects,” ten archival black & white pigment prints, Meekins Library, Williamsburg, MA. October 2015
“Flotsam Weirs,” collaborative on-site film and sculpture installation, Paseo Arts Festival (juried show), Taos, New Mexico. September 2015
“Flotsam Weirs,” collaborative installation with four archival color pigment prints and projected film, Meekins Library, Williamsburg, MA. August – October 2015
“Culinary Tools: A study in objects,” ten archival black & white pigment prints, The Green Bean, Northampton, MA. August 2015
“Vintage Sifter,” archival black & white pigment print, Gallery A3's Juried Show, Amherst, MA. July 2015
“Culinary Tools: A study in objects,” ten archival black & white pigment prints, Provisions, Northampton, MA. March – April 2015
“Coffee and Eggs,” archival color pigment print, Hope & Feather Gallery, Amherst, MA. January 2015
“Evening Through the Kitchen Window” and “Coffee and Eggs,” archival color pigment prints, The Arts Center (juried show), Corvallis, OR. August – September 2014
“Film Ends,” color photographs mounted on wood, The Loft Parlor, Mill 180, Easthampton, MA. June 2013
“Breakfast,” black and white stop-motion digital video short, Reach Video Fest, Easthampton, MA. April 2013
“Tangerines,” archival color pigment print, Photo Place Gallery (juried show), Middlebury, VT. March – April 2012
“Film Still #19 (from The Diana Days),” archival color pigment print, Detroit Center For Contemporary Photography (juried show), Detroit, MI. June – July 2012
“From My Kitchen,” 20 archival color pigment prints, Laughing Dog Bicycles, Amherst, MA. Dec 2011 – Jan 2012
“The Diana Days,” A photo/film installation with 30 archival black & white pigment prints and 1 twenty-minute film, Studio Place Arts Gallery (solo show), Barre, VT. Aug – Sept 2011
PUBLICATIONS
“20 Ways to Get Your Creative Groove on All Summer Long,” story and photographs, BellaGrace Magazine, Volume 1: Issue 8. June/July/August 2016
“Greenhouse to Market with Crabapple Farm,” photo essay and story, Edible Pioneer Valley. Summer 2016
“Hope & Olive’s Soup and Game Night,” photo essay and story, Edible Pioneer Valley. Spring 2016
“Sharing a Meal on Common Ground,” photo essay and story, Edible Pioneer Valley. Winter 2015
“Playing With Light,” story and photographs, Bella Grace, Volume 1: Issue 5. Sept/Oct/Nov 2015
“Behind the Kitchen Door: Auntie Cathy's Kitchen,” photo essay and story, Edible Pioneer Valley. Autumn 2015
“A Year of Us,” story and photographs, Bella Grace, Volume 1: Issue 4. June/July/Aug 2015
“Behind the Kitchen Door: The Laughing Tomato,” photo essay and story, Edible Pioneer Valley. Summer 2015
“Dropping Literary Baggage,” feature story with photographs Somerset Life, Volume 9: Issue 1. Jan/Feb/March 2015
“10 in 10,” story and photographs, Bella Grace, Volume 1: Issue 2. Winter 2015
“Behind the Kitchen Door: Upinngil Farm,” photo essay and story, Edible Pioneer Valley. Spring 2015
“Behind the Kitchen Door: The Hungry Ghost,” photo essay and story, Edible Pioneer Valley. Winter 2014
“Behind the Kitchen Door: Coco and The Cellar Bar,” photo essay and story, Edible Pioneer Valley. Fall 2014
“Design, Shoot, Show: Your iPhone Photo Project,” published ebook. 2013
AWARDS/HONORS
New York Center for Photographic Arts, “Mystic Beach” (black & white diptych photograph), 3rd place in Same Different show, Juror Darren Ching. 2016
Art grants from Williamsburg Arts Council, LLC (Massachusetts Cultural Council), “Flotsam Weirs Project” in collaboration with artist Todd Lynch on a video/sculpture installation about overlaid ecological communities. 2015
Art grants from Williamsburg Arts Council, LLC (Massachusetts Cultural Council), “One Less Magazine,” and Northampton Arts Council, LLC (Massachusetts Cultural Council), “One Less Magazine,” to produce a literary magazine and host readings. 2004 & 2005
William S. Burroughs Scholarship Award for writing, The Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics, Naropa University. 2002
School of Art Graduate Fellowship in Photography, Ohio University. 2000-2001
Honors Fellow in Writing, Naropa University. 2001-2003