r. mike nichols was born in Long Beach, CA. He attended CSULB where he received his BFA in Illustration and his MA in Art. While in the Master’s program he began freelancing with Bon Appetit, Datamation, Human Behavior and Westways, as well as, creating cards for several greeting card companies. He has also designed brochures and programs for a theatre group and art festival. He has been an artist for over 60 years. When he finished with his career as an illustrator he began painting for himself. Now he creates for the joy and satisfaction it brings him, painting images that relate to his life and his experiences. He is a storyteller who loves to mix in humor and quirkiness. His style is eclectic, a combination of the real and the surreal with elements of whimsy. Competitive by nature, and a goal oriented Virgo, he began to enter his work in local, regional and national competitions in 2008. Being patient and persistent his work eventually began to receive acceptance on the national/international scene. At that point he gave himself the goal of achieving Signature Membership with one of the Watercolor Societies. His breakthrough came with the San Diego Watercolor Society and was followed by Signature with 14 other societies. He has gone on to achieve Master Level with two of them and is edging closer to Master with three others. Currently he maintains his Signature and Master Signature Memberships with Watercolor West, California Watercolor Association, National Watercolor Society, Transparent Watercolor Society of America and Pennsylvania Watercolor Society. In 2025 his painting “Watching TV’ was juried into the 158th Annual International American Watercolor Society Exhibition where it received the Bud and Gretchen Marble Medal and will be on tour for the next year. He is also an Artist Member of the California Art Club and has participated in several of their Gold Medal Exhibitions. His work has been published in Splash 14, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20. The Best of Acrylic Works 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7. Fourteen of his paintings appear in 1000 Dog Portraits and he has a painting in Art Journey Animals: A Collection of Inspiring Contemporary Masterworks.