Born in Russia in February 2001, Nicholas was adopted and brought to Atlanta, Georgia, a year later. With a lifelong passion for creativity, he grew up drawing through elementary and middle school. His love for travel began early, exploring countries such as Germany, Nepal, Britain, Switzerland, and Austria with his family. Early on in high school, he discovered a keen interest in graphic design and photography, which he pursued further at Georgia College & State University
Project Statement
As a photographer, I wanted to bring my dreams to life, capturing the surreal and often fragmented visuals that emerge during sleep. In Dreamscapes, I explore the terriotory between reality and imagination, constructing scenes that evoke the strange, symbolic, and sometimes unsettling nature of dreams. Using a combination of photography, Photoshop, and Lightroom, I have layered and manipulated images into photomontages that reflect the disjointed narratives and abstract sensations of dreaming. Inspired by Jerry Uelsmann, my work plays with light, shadow, and juxtaposition to blur the boundaries between the conscious and unconscious mind.
Artist Statement
As an artist, I am drawn to the surreal and subconscious, using photography to bridge the gap between reality and dreamlike perception. My work explores the way memories, emotions, and imagination intertwine, creating visual narratives that feel both familiar and uncanny. Dreamscapes portrays the vivid and surreal nature of dreams, offering a peak into the subconscious mind. Dreams are fleeting and often beyond our understanding, yet they linger in our minds throughout the day. A 2022 British study revealed that only 45% of people recall their dreams, and even fewer likely experience dreams as vividly as others. With less than half that can remember their dreams, Dreamscapes invites the viewer to explore the boundary between imagination and reality, as well as memory and dream. By engaging the audience on a visual level, Dreamscapes encourages the audiences to provoke curiosity and spark the viewer’s own reflections on subconscious minds.