Making It: Nicole Chui

Nicole Chui is a London-based artist working with tapestry, embroidery, and photography. Her practice currently centres on football culture, using shirts and textile materials to explore identity and community.

Upgrade Yourself presenter Jonelle Awomoji visits Nicole at OOF Gallery in North London, where they embroider Jonelle's childhood football shirt from her days playing for Croydon Borough Girls.

On non-linear careers

Nicole worked from home when studio space wasn't an option, freelanced at a creative agency to understand pricing and client relationships, and took time away from her practice when she needed to. Her career has been stop-start, back and forth.

On imposter syndrome

Realising that most people are figuring it out as they go gave Nicole the confidence to take opportunities and shoot her shot.

Three things for a sustainable art practice

Nicole's approach breaks down into consistency, confidence, and community. Consistency in making and sharing work. Confidence in what you're doing, even if it's quiet confidence. And community for feedback, collaboration, and mutual support.

On networking

Nicole finds talking about herself difficult, so she sets small goals. Attend one private view every fortnight. Talk to one person. Learn how work is promoted. Treating networking as part of the job, rather than a performance, reframes it from something annoying into something intentional.