How Nikki Conigliaro Combines Florals and Feminine Myths in Her Paintings

In this interview for the Arts to Hearts Project, we meet Nikki Conigliaro, an artist whose work blends myth, memory, and flowers. Nikki opens up about her journey from theatre and production design to painting, how living with fibromyalgia shaped her creative rhythm, and why she finds deep meaning in the myths of powerful women.

She shares how her Goddess collection, born during the pandemic, helped her find her voice as an artist and connect more deeply with themes of resilience, transformation, and feminine strength. We also learn how florals, especially peonies and roses, are more than just beautiful details—they’re symbols that carry emotional weight and storytelling power.

Through Nikki’s story, we’re reminded that art can be a healing force, a form of self-expression, and a way to reclaim forgotten or misunderstood narratives. Her work invites us to see beauty in the image and its layers of meaning.

Nikki Conigliaro is a featured artist in our book, “101 ArtBook – Nature Edition” You can explore her journey and the stories of other artists by purchasing the book here:

https://shop.artstoheartsproject.com/products/the-creative-process-book

As an artist, I believe in the transformative power of storytelling through art. By channelling the timeless narratives of feminine myths and the symbolic beauty of florals, I aim to create pieces that empower and inspire, reflecting the strength, resilience, and grace in all women. My artistic journey began with a BA Hons in Theatre Design, then a career in education and an MA in Production Design for Film and TV, including work at the BBC. After moving to the Lake District, I found solace in painting, drawing inspiration from myths, legends, and the strong women who defied conventions. These influences and my personal experiences have shaped my unique artistic style. My passion for art was deeply rooted in my love for myths and legends, particularly those centred around powerful women.

After my family was diagnosed with lupus and I faced my struggles with fibromyalgia, painting became a means of connecting with and expressing the emotions tied to these stories. This connection led me to develop my signature style, blending feminine myths with floral symbolism. During the COVID pandemic, I revisited painting and began my collection of Goddesses. This body of work gained recognition, with several pieces selected for exhibitions, including the Louvre Carrousel exhibit. I also received the Voices of Tomorrow Award from Contemporary Art Curator Magazine, marking a significant milestone in my career. I am currently focused on expanding my collection of Goddess paintings and developing floral designs that will soon be available as prints on scarves and other items. I aim to continue creating art that resonates with and empowers my audience while exploring new ways to bring these timeless stories to life.

1.  How did your theatre and production design background influence your painting transition?  

Drama has always been at the heart of my creative journey. I’ve long been drawn to the narratives in books and plays, especially how they come to life on stage or screen. My love for strong, complex feminine characters and how they were portrayed led me to focus on female stories in my work. In theatre and production design, I was fascinated by symbolism within sets—those visual clues that enrich a scene and invite the viewer to look deeper. That influence carried into my painting practice. Now, I use colour and symbolic elements from myths and legends to tell the stories of each goddess I paint, allowing their essence to emerge through layered meaning and visual storytelling.

There’s something powerful about wearing art that holds meaning.

Nikki Conigliaro

2.  What draws you to feminine myths, and how do you translate their symbolism into visual art?    

I’ve always been drawn to the divine feminine—those powerful myths and stories that span cultures and time, from Eve to Gaia, from the Greek and Norse goddesses to the women who were demonised or misunderstood. What fascinates me is how often the feminine has been portrayed as both creator and destroyer, nurturing and powerful. Figures like Mother Earth—Gaia—embody creation and life itself, yet in many stories, women are also blamed or punished, like Eve or Medusa. These myths reveal profound truths about how society has viewed feminine power, often with fear or distortion.

I explore and reclaim these stories through symbolism and colour in my artwork. Each goddess I paint carries layers of meaning—my choice of blooms, hues, and details all speak to her history and energy. It’s a visual way of restoring the voice and presence of these figures, of honouring the balance we need between masculine and feminine energies, especially in a world still shaped by patriarchy. My work aims to offer a space for reflection, empowerment, and reconnection with the mythological and real feminine spirit.

3. How has living with fibromyalgia shaped your creative expression and artistic voice?

Fibromyalgia is part of my everyday life—it’s something I navigate constantly, and it has inevitably shaped the rhythm of my creative practice. There are days when I don’t have the physical energy to paint, so I use that time to read, research, and reflect. It’s helped me slow down and listen more deeply to my intuition, and in doing so, I’ve developed a more intentional, emotionally connected way of working. Living with fibromyalgia has allowed me to communicate with each goddess I paint on a more personal level. Their stories of endurance, transformation, and power resonate with my own experiences of resilience and vulnerability. That connection brings authenticity to my work—each painting becomes a visual expression of myth and a deeply felt reflection of what it means to move through pain with strength and grace.

4.  Your Goddess collection gained recognition during the pandemic—what did that moment mean for you?

It was a pivotal moment in my life—a time when I finally felt seen, not just as a teacher or a mother, but as an artist. To have my creativity recognised, especially during such a challenging global moment, felt like a childhood dream coming true. When galleries began reaching out to exhibit my work, it gave me a renewed sense of purpose and the confidence to push myself further. Since then, my practice has grown in depth and meaning. I’ve continued to explore symbolism more intentionally, allowing each piece to carry layered messages about identity, strength, and transformation. That recognition was more than just external validation—it was the beginning of truly embracing my identity as an artist.

Painting became a means of connecting with and expressing the emotions tied to these stories.

Nikki Conigliaro

5. Florals play a strong symbolic role in your work—what do they represent in the context of your storytelling?   

Flowers, especially peonies, are central to my visual language. I’m deeply drawn to the peony—there’s something almost magical about its lush, layered petals and how it blooms so fully after lying dormant through winter. For me, it’s a powerful symbol of rebirth and resilience, which aligns beautifully with my work’s themes of transformation and feminine strength.

I grow several types of peonies in my garden, and witnessing their yearly growth cycle has become a quiet ritual that inspires my creative process. Roses also appear frequently in my paintings, often as symbols of love, duality, or protection, depending on the goddess I’m portraying. While peonies and roses are the most common motifs, I occasionally incorporate other florals with specific symbolic meanings when a particular goddess calls for something different. Each bloom adds a layer to the story, helping to express the emotional and mythological essence of the figure I’m painting.

6.  You’re now branching into wearable art—how does this expand your mission of empowerment through storytelling?  

As a little girl, I dreamed of becoming the next Laura Ashley. I even considered studying textiles at university, so returning to fabric design feels like a beautiful full-circle moment—a quiet nod to that younger version of myself. Creating wearable art, especially my collection of ladies’ scarves based on my paintings, allows me to take the essence of my work—empowerment, storytelling, and symbolism—and bring it into everyday life. There’s something powerful about wearing art that holds meaning. Each design carries the energy of the goddess or floral story it came from, so it becomes more than just an accessory—it’s a personal symbol. I wear my designs as reminders of strength, softness, and self-expression, and I hope others feel the same. It connects to the old language of flowers—speaking through beauty, colour, and hidden meaning.

Nikki Conigliaro’s artwork celebrates feminine strength, resilience, and mythology. Through her richly symbolic goddess paintings and floral motifs, she reclaims and reimagines stories that have long shaped our understanding of women, often through distorted or forgotten lenses. Her work speaks of empowerment, healing, and beauty in softness and strength.

From Nikki’s journey, we’ve learned how personal challenges, like living with fibromyalgia, can deepen artistic expression and bring a quiet power to storytelling. Her transition from theatre design to visual art shows us that creativity doesn’t have a fixed path—it evolves with life, emotion, and the stories we carry. Her art is more than visual—it’s emotional, symbolic, and deeply personal.

To learn more about Nikki, click the following links to visit her profile.

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