Nikki McClure facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nikki McClure
McClure at Olympia Timberland Library, 2009
Known for	Papercutting
Movement	Riot grrrl
Partner(s)	Jay T. Scott

Nikki McClure is a talented papercut artist who lives in Olympia, Washington. She is famous for creating beautiful art by cutting paper. Nikki McClure also writes and illustrates many children's books. Every year, she creates a special calendar filled with her unique papercut designs.

About Nikki McClure

Early Life and Education

Nikki McClure grew up in Kirkland, Washington. In 1986, she moved to Olympia to attend The Evergreen State College. There, she studied natural history, which is about plants, animals, and nature. She earned two degrees in 1991. During her college years, she enjoyed walking in forests. She would often sing songs she made up, sometimes performing them for friends.

Starting Her Art Career

After college, Nikki McClure worked for the Washington Department of Ecology. This is where she created her very first children's book, called Wetlands. This book was published in 1992. It taught people about important wetland areas.

Nikki McClure also rented a studio near a record company called K Records. She started trying out different art styles, including linocuts. Linocut is a way of printing images using a carved piece of linoleum.

Her Unique Papercut Art

Nikki McClure is best known for her amazing papercut art. She uses a special knife, called an X-Acto knife, to cut detailed images from paper. Her style is partly inspired by old posters from the Works Progress Administration.

Early in her career, she made T-shirts and album covers for her friends. She also worked with independent music labels like Kill Rock Stars and K Records. Her art was part of the riot grrrl movement, which was about empowering girls and women through music and art.

Spreading Her Art

Since 1998, Nikki McClure has created an annual calendar. Each calendar features new papercut designs for every month. She has also written and illustrated many children's books.

Nikki McClure believes in sharing her art. She allows non-profit groups to use her work if they ask permission. She has also created art for well-known companies and organizations. For example, she designed a manhole cover for Olympia's stormwater system.

Her artwork has been shown in special exhibitions. One exhibition, called Nikki McClure: Cutting Her Own Path, 1996–2011, was displayed at the Museum of Contemporary Craft and the Bellevue Arts Museum. Her children's book about farmers' markets, To Market, To Market, won an award in 2012.

Personal Life

Nikki McClure lives in Olympia, Washington with her partner, Jay T. Scott, and her son.

In 1991, Nikki McClure had a fun experience. She danced onstage at a concert for the famous band Nirvana. This happened at their "Live at the Paramount" concert.

Books by Nikki McClure