Slow & Low x Find Your California

Q&A with Nico Guilis: Artist-Surfboard Designer-Photographer-Filmmaker

Tell us about yourself Nico….

 I am a female artist and grew up in a town next to Malibu. I Started painting when I was 8 and at age 9 my dad got me a Pentax 35 mm film camera and taught me how to use it. I have always known being an artist was what I was meant to do. I never thought twice about it and I have always worked hard for what I want.

What is Find Your California?

FYC is a circle back to happiness. It is my visual umbrella for all my creations with a streamline aesthetic.

Describe your style..

If Gwen Stefani and Spicoli had a love child .. Flea was my dad and Isabel Marant was my mom, Cecil Beaton was my grandpa , Slim Aarons my uncle... Id be the direct mixture of them. 

What other artist/photographer/filmmaker inspires you?

I am inspired by an idea or a well executed idea. I dont look to one artist or filmmaker for inspiration because we all go through highs and lows. I might see a picture of someone , hear the line of a movie, walk down a busy street, be alone at the beach. I think its better to “pull from “ and “emulate” than to idolize one.

If you had to choose one… Surf, Skate or tie die?

Neither ... id be making surfboards all day! The factory is a hard place to be 24/7 but it was the best time in my life. When I felt like theres more to life than traveling around taking pictures... I had a few come to jesus moments over the years... that was the most valuable one.

How do you like to Slow & Low… ex. Neat? Proper Old Fashioned? With a beer (Checkered Past)?

I like taking small shots of it and doing pickle backs. I love the sweet and salty

If you could share Slow & Low with anyone alive or dead, who would it be and why?

I think my grandpa would have liked to sip on a glass with me and talk about what I am working on. 

What insider California tip can you share for visitors looking to find their California…

Dont go to Venice Beach!

What are you listening to right now?

Im going through a folk & blues & old country phase... Fats Waller, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Neil Young, Warren Smith, Peggy Lee, The Band, Them, and random unknown 1960s bands. 

How have the events of 2020 changed you?

Well being as I never saw anyone because I was always making stuff and traveling with my fiance .. it didn’t effect my social life, just work. You think twice about photoshoots now and how you go about them. More so it feels like its defiantly pushed me into selling my prints and art that Ive been saying I wanted to do. I love designing and creating ideas so happy about this collab with S&L being 2020 because its exactly where I am at in my life. 

Tell us about the Find Your California x Slow & Low skateboard collaboration…

The skatedeck was from a massive collage I made by hand and added S&L art to it! It came out so rad!!

What’s next for you?

I am in process of opening my own Surfboard gallery of all my work.  Im printing a bunch of work for a rad gallery I joined on the East Coast and I am hanging in their summer show alongside 4 of my favorite photographers, Leroy Grannis, Jeff Devine, Hugh Holland and Aaron Slims. 

Check out the Slow & Low x Find Your California collaboration at the "merch" tab on our website & In Nico's words... find "rad" S&L x FYC Mechanics jackets, Whiskey Candle, Tie Die Bandana & the S&L x FYC skatedeck... all your needs for Summer fun and finding your Califonia!

Link to MERCH: https://merch.drinkslowandlow.com/

Link to BUY NOW: https://shop.drinkslowandlow.com/