Piper Nunn is an avid fly angler, adventurer, lover of the outdoors, and acrylic artist. Art allows Piper to connect to the places she loves, like the rivers and streams that wild fish populations thrive in. Beyond her personal love for fly fishing and creating fly fishing art, she is drawn to creating fish based artwork because she believes it is a powerful tool to connect others with the outdoors and inspire them to protect what so desperately needs protecting.
Get to know Piper, her passion for fish, acrylic art, conservation and more.
Where are you from and how does that inspire your work?
I was born and raised in Colorado, which instilled a love of the outdoors in me from a young age. I grew up camping and hiking in the mountains, and found a deep love for fly fishing later in my life. Colorado offers some of the most incredible and scenic outdoor opportunities, all of which feed my art inspiration.
When did you begin creating art?
I began painting here and there 5 years ago and began to paint more seriously and consistently about 3 years ago. I decided that I wanted to turn it into a business 2 years ago and that’s where my journey really began.
What about fly fishing inspires you as an artist? / Why fish? What inspired your work within the fishing industry?
Fishing inspires me as an artist because of how it allows me to connect with rivers and the areas that surround them. Fly fishing is an excuse to stand in the middle of a beautiful river for hours, allowing me to fully immerse myself in the environment. Beyond the scenery, fishing creates a sense of connection with the ecosystems in which fish live. You imitate the bug life to hopefully trick a fish into taking the fly, in order to do this you must have an understanding of life underwater. I love painting fish because it allows me to focus on the small details. When I catch a fish I take in as much of its beauty as possible, but it is a quick and fleeting moment. Painting fish allows me to spend more time studying the small and beautiful details of different species!
Do you think that your degree in fisheries biology encouraged this passion of creating aquatic art?
I began to pursue my degree in fisheries biology at the same time that I began to paint fish as my art subject. Doing fish art and learning about fisheries biology at the same time created a connection between the two for me. As I learned about the biology of fish as well as the conservation issues in the fisheries world, I became more passionate about my art. I also began to feel motivated and inspired to not only conserve fish populations and ecosystems, but to use my art as a way to connect others to nature and inspire them to protect our resources. I think that my degree and the level of knowledge that I have about fish helped me to fine tune the accuracy and realism of my art, however, the realistic aspect of my art also came with lots of practice and repetition.
What type of art/medium do you create? Did you try others before landing here?
I primarily paint with acrylic paint on reclaimed pine beetle kill wood. I also do some paintings with gouache (a more pigmented watercolor style medium). When I first started painting a lot I primarily used gouache, I then began to experiment with acrylic on canvas as it was a medium that I didn’t use much and wasn’t very good at. After experimenting with acrylic on canvas I move towards acrylic on wood I found at the craft store. I fell in love with painting on wood because the wood surface already has so much character before the first brush stroke of paint even touches it.
I transitioned to painting on reclaimed pine beetle kill wood shortly after. I love the smooth surface that the pine beetle kill wood provides, as well as the unique coloration that occurs in the wood as a result of the infection by the pine beetles. The wood is sustainable as well, it is harvested from stands where the dead trees need to be removed, I love being able to tie the sustainability aspect into my materials and each piece of wood is truly unique!
How has your art and style changed over time?
The biggest change in my art was going from nature/landscape paintings to fish focused art. This shift happened after discovering my love for fly fishing and resulted in the launch of my art business. Once I began painting fish it accelerated my love for painting and as I have advanced as an artist my level of detail in each painting has increased. I am most proud of the detail that I put into each piece.
Have you ever created a piece of work that you loved so much, you couldn’t part with it?
I have never kept a painting, though I have wanted to many times! There are a few paintings hanging in my house that haven’t sold yet and I love having them up on the walls until they find their new homes!
How do you manage your work-life balance as an artist? / Is your artwork a full-time job, or do you have a daily gig too?
I began to pursue art as a full-time job about 2 years ago while I was still in college and it has been a wild journey. Pursuing art full time while also going to school full time and working on the side was a challenge. After I graduated I have been figuring out how to merge my love for painting and my degree in fisheries biology. I want to use both to contribute to conservation and the protection of our fisheries. I am still learning how to have a work/life balance as an artist honestly. It is really easy to shut myself into my studio and paint for hours and days on end. However, I am working to create a better balance of working and painting hard while still making time to do other things, this helps my inspiration and keeps the stoke high!
Favorite fish to paint?
It is really hard to pick a favorite species to paint, each one is so unique and so fun to paint because of how different each species is. I do love painting salmon as I have a very personal connection with them. Learning about the life cycle of salmon and how they are an integral part of their ecosystems was what lit my fire for pursuing a degree in fisheries biology and focusing on conservation. Salmon are fascinating in their life cycle and the way that they are the key to healthy old-growth forests in salmon stream ecosystems. I recently painted a peacock bass which was one of my favorite pieces because of the vibrant colors of the fish.
Most artfully inspiring place you have fished?
Alaska is the most inspiring place I have been so far. I spent 4 months living, working, and fishing in Alaska. The town that I was in was very small and very remote, it was truly one of the most inspiring places I have been.
When did you begin fishing?
I began fishing 4 years ago, and the way that I got into it is a bit random. I was working at a bagel shop where my manager was really into fly fishing. I ended up going out on the river one day with him just to try it out. I was immediately hooked and continued to learn with the help of friends and on my own. I never expected to love fly fishing as much as I do now, and discovering fly fishing changed a lot of parts of my life. After learning how to fly fish I changed my major in college to fisheries biology and not long after that I shifted my art towards fish, eventually deciding to pursue art as a full time business. Fly fishing truly changed the direction of my life in many ways.
What is it that draws you to fishing and creating art around the sport?
Beyond my personal love for fly fishing and creating fly fishing art, I am drawn to creating fish based artwork because I believe it is a powerful tool. Art is powerful in any form, whether it’s painting, music, photography, etc. I want to create fish based art as a way to inspire others and connect them to the outdoors and conservation. Those of us who spend all of our free time fishing or in the outdoors have a strong connection with the outdoors, which results in a desire to protect our natural resources and the ecosystems that lead to healthy fish populations. I want to use my art as a way to connect others with the outdoors and inspire them to protect what so desperately needs protecting.
Do you listen to anything when you are creating art? If so, what?
I mostly listen to music while I’m creating and the genres that I listen to while painting are all over the board. My go to is old country, honky tonk, and bluegrass. Bands like Tyler Childers, Zach Bryan, Sturgil Simpson, and Colter Wall are almost always playing in the studio. Caamp is another band that is always on repeat while I am painting!
Where can people find your artwork?
All of my current available pieces as well as information on commission pieces is available on my website PiperNunn.art
Instagram: @piper_nunn
