My name is Nicolas Abadia Pinheiro, I am 19 years old and I’m from São Paulo, Brazil. Currently, I study Computer Science at the University of California, Davis, but my ultimate passion is art. I’ve been drawing since I was a kid. I started by imitating some friends who drew much better than me. I wanted to make good drawings—ones as vivid as the characters from the games and animations I liked.

Time passed, and my friends stopped drawing, but I continued. I shifted my inspirations from them to fellow artists I met online. First, within the amazing community of Brazilian artists, I discovered digital painting and how the games and animations I loved were created. As I explored the fundamentals—even without meeting any of them in person—artists like Guilherme Freitas, Mke Azevedo, Marco Alvares, Rafa Souza, and many others inspired me to follow their path and try to work in the industry.

I learned English so I could access more content and learn faster—and for free. I dedicated the two years of the pandemic to studying the fundamentals and drawing as much as I could. When I reached my second year of high school, I had to make decisions about the future. What seemed reachable at the time was to start a course in design so I could work, pay for my studies, and help my family. I started drawing less during this period, and in my last year of high school, I got the opportunity to come to the U.S. to study CS.

I expected I’d be able to split myself in two and make my way through both careers at the same time. And that being in California would be great for connecting with the industry. But as soon as I got here, I found myself with little energy or motivation to make it all happen as I planned. Now I’m trying to recalculate routes and find my pace. So, back to the drawing board—I’m seeking new ideas to put into work again.

I hope that through this event I can make connections with other fellow artists, share some stories, and find some guidance on my journey.