Seller Story: Nick Bubash

Meet Nick Bubash: not solely a painter, a graphic artist, a draftsman, an assemblage-creator, a sculptor, or a tattooer. Bubash is a true artist. He does it all. Nick, genetically and stylistically, is a melting pot. He comes from an extremely mixed European background. From his bevy of cultural inspirations, to his tattoo covered arms, to his eclectic mix of artwork, Nick embodies artistic diversity. “I am extremist by nature, my religion is fundamentalist by choice and my rabbi is Baptist. I wear the skin of a Maori and my art is at least, in part, if not completely, a result of the criss cross of the above."

As a child, Bubash was dyslexic and struggled to write. He used art, specifically drawing, to express himself. Growing up, Nick’s mother drew beautifully, and she used to say to a young Nick, “If you can’t draw, you can’t be in the club”. That was his initial inspiration to join the world of art. “I can’t remember not drawing,” he said.

At the ripe age of 19, after attending Penn State for a year, Nick made his way to New York City to pursue art. He began working for visual artist Peter Max, and, soon after, he met and received his first tattoo from the legendary artist, Thom DeVita. Nick then began an apprenticeship with DeVita, with whom he spent many years studying and working alongside. “Going in and seeing Devita’s studio was an eye-opener for me– it was like going to Mecca. The whole place was just one big piece of art, including him… the whole place was art. And I was home.”

In the form of gifts from other artists, collaborative works, and individual pieces of art, Nick has accumulated an extensive collection of artwork. Bubash’s home is filled with these pieces, but a small portion of his collection is now available at auction.

This collection of artwork represents Nick Bubash’s vast experiences, personal associations, friendships, and a lifetime of hard work.