Nicole Mendez, M.F.A.

Nicole Mendez is a California-based visual artist and filmmaker. Born in Key West, Florida and moving many times throughout her youth, her childhood love of observing people and places evolved into a desire to communicate stories of deep human emotion. Over the years she has been inspired by fashion print ads and independent arthouse cinema, and this inspiration can often be found in the bright colors, patterns and techniques used throughout her work.

After completing her undergraduate education at a small liberal arts college in Oregon, Mendez went on to share her visual art in exhibitions for over a decade. In 2017, she began pursuing an MFA in painting but gravitated toward something new: film. Her love for color theory, stemming from time spent studying under a student of Josef Albers, sparked an interest in color grading and camera sensor technology. In 2019 she sought out and earned a Certificate in Color Science and a bit later received DaVinci Resolve Color certification. After spending a bulk of her MFA program mastering a new craft on a technical level, upon graduating she decided to pursue a second master's degree, allowing more time dedicated to focus on screenwriting and film theory. She studies at California State University San Marcos where she is honing her creative writing skills and researching filmic representations of sexual trauma. Most of her days are spent at the University as she also serves as the Academic Coordinator for Literature & Writing and Film Studies.

Mendez's paintings have been shown and sold internationally including four solo exhibitions. Her films have won awards and screened at galleries/museums and in numerous film festivals on five continents. She continues to balance school, work, and multiple projects while spending as much time as possible with her three children. She is beginning production on her first feature-length documentary in 2025 and expects to begin production on her first feature-length narrative in 2028. A formal presentation of her film Bad Child will take place on March 4, 2025 at CSUSM as part of their ongoing Arts & Lectures series. More info here.