Niki Lopez is a work of art. Her creations, like her, are bright, colorful, and vibrant.
Lopez is a visual artist who creates across several mediums, including mixed media, painting, sculptures, mixed media sculptures, video, digital, and poetry. Her best creation, by far, is her teenage son Marley.Lopez, an Afro-Latina who identifies as lesbian/queer, is also an advocate, art curator, podcaster, and social justice warrior.
She’s also a teacher, mentor, and healer. Some of her art is permanently displayed at the YMCA in Fort Lauderdale. Newer pieces are on display now in Delray Beach and North Miami. Lopez created them after going through a challenging year in her personal life, including the passing of her younger sister, Mery.
“One of the pieces is in honor of her passing and becoming an ancestor,” Lopez said. “All of my work is personal to a certain level. I used a lot of deeper processes to make that. Some of my personal work shares some of the traumas that I’ve survived. Growing up in a cult, being sexually abused, and different forms of abuse that I’ve lived through and healed from.”
Lopez, a New York native, has called South Florida home for 20 years. During that time, she founded a personal passion project called What’s Your Elephant – where she uses the arts to create a safe space to dialogue about life’s uncomfortable topics.
Visit linktr.ee/nikilopez19 to see Lopez’s art and https://whatsyourelephant.org to learn more about What’s Your Elephant.
OUT & PROUD 50 2023