Born Willard Nicolas Poupore on March 8th, 1976 in Appleton, Wisconsin to Bill and Pat Poupore.   Noblique became an early lover of Picasso’s work while traveling in Europe and focused on his artistic development throughout his primary education with exhibits as early as age 13 at the Milwaukee Museum of Art. 

Nic developed a passion for snowboarding and skateboarding which led to a career in owning and operating skate and snow retail shops in Wisconsin, California, and Washington State.  After studying pliable materials engineering in California, he made further contributions to the skateboard industry by engineering a new concave skateboard that would go on to be produced by some of the countries major skateboard manufacturers.  He continued to apply creative insight with an understanding of physics to design and produce several indoor and outdoor skate and snow parks.  In his early 20’s he left the skate and snow industry to work as a full time artist.

Noblique has met with many successes in his career as a professional artist.  Of note is his large 9,000 pound steel sculpture “Runner” displayed at Chicago’s Navy Pier (Navy Pier Walk 2003).  Nic devotes much of his time to privately commissioned work and his sculpture can be seen all over the US and as far reaching as Kuwait and Trinidad.  Notable public installations can be seen in Denton, Texas at the Denton Civic Center Park and Denton City Hall, The Mall of Abilene in Abilene, Texas, Meyer Theater and La-Z-Boy Center in Monroe, Michigan, in Hartford, Connecticut at Trinity College, and most recently in Racine, Wisconsin highlighting the entrance to the Uptown Arts District via the Create Uptown Racine campaign (commissioned by the City of Racine).

Today Nic Noblique creates with joyful heart. He continues to expand his view of the world with new insights that become delightful manifestations of art for the rest of us to enjoy.”

-Pippin Meikle Fine Art

EXHIBITIONS      * future date

*Pippin & Meikle Fine Art, New Sculpture, May 2010 - TBA, Santa Fe, New Mexico

Benini Sculpture Ranch and Galleries, New Sculpture, May 2010 - TBA, Johnson City, Texas

Cameron Gallery, Solo Show, Show Title TBA, Paintings and Sculpture, April 10, 2010.  “IN HIS TRIUMPHANT RETURN TO DALLAS, AS HIS LATEST COLLECTION OF NEW METAL SCULPTURES AND OIL PAINTINGS WILL ILLUSTRATE WHY THIS YOUNG ARTIST IS HIGHLY SOUGHT AFTER, IN BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE COLLECTIONS.”

Savor Dallas 2010, Featured Artist, AT&T Performing Arts Center, Sammons Park, and as part of the International Grand Tasting at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel, March 2010

Sculptors Dominion Invitational 2010, 4 works on display, San Antonio Tx, March 2010 through 2011

The Center For Contemporary Art, Group Exhibition, November – December 2009, Abilene, Texas

Art-Right LLC, Private Event for Houston Area Architects and Consultants, “Functional Sculpture”, Houston, Texas, November 19, 2009

Savor Dallas, Featured Artist, March 2008

Nic Noblique Studio Gallery monthly exhibitions and featured group exhibits in conjunction with Art Walk, Galveston, Texas, March 2007 through November 2008

Artist Boat Fundraiser, Hosted by the Nic Noblique Studio Gallery, October 2008, Galveston, Texas

Elder Street Artists Gallery, Group Exhibition, November 2007, Houston, Texas

Earth Center and Gallery 101, Group Exhibition, August 2007, Houston, Texas

Art-Right, LLC, Group Exhibition, August 2007, Houston, Texas

Benini Sculpture Ranch and Galleries; On-going Exhibition of two large scale works beginning May   2006, Johnson City, Texas

Noblique’s Gallery A-go-go; Up From Ashes, Solo exhibit featuring new work, April 2006, Abilene, Texas

Sculptors Dominion Invitational 2006, International Sculpture Exhibition April 2006, San Antonio, Texas

Breckenridge Fine Arts Center, The New School, curated by Noblique, Feb-April 2006, Breckenridge, Texas

Earth Gallery; Group Exhibition; on going beginning March 2006

Center For Contemporary Art, Members Group Show, December 2005, Abilene, Texas

Fine Line Designs, Group Exhibition, Town Line Art Fair, September 2005, Ephraim, Wisconsin

Buchanan Gallery, Solo Exhibition, Explorations in Steel, Galveston, TX, August 2005

Blossom Street Gallery, Group Exhibition, Noblique and Roaderer, Houston, TX, May 2005

Guadalupe River Sculpture Ranch, Group Exhibition, San Antonio, TX, 2005

The Center for Contemporary Art, Artist Members Group Exhibit, Abilene, TX, October 2004

The Center for Contemporary Art, Abilene, TX Twenty Choices Solo Exhibit, Gallery I, July – August 2004

Sculptors Dominion Invitational 2004, San Antonio, TX, May 2004

Jody Klotz-Vletas Fine Art, New Works: Sculptures and Paintings Solo Exhibit, Abilene,
TX, December – February 2004

Wired Designs, Light Up, Solo Outdoor Exhibit, San Antonio, TX, November 2003

Manor House Gallery, Boerne, TX Solo Sculpture Garden Exhibit, October 2003

Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum, presented by The Texas Society of
Sculptors, Sculpfest 2003, Austin, Texas, September 2003

Town Center Gallery, Group Exhibition, Valencia, California, September 2003

Jody Klotz-Vletas Fine Art, Trees and Flowers Solo Exhibit, Abilene, Texas, September 2003

Breckenridge Fine Arts Center, Drawings, Painting, and Sculpture, Breckenridge, Texas, July 2003

Chicago’s Navy Pier, Navy Pier Walk 2003, Chicago, IL, May 2003 David Pagel Juror

Gallery 37, Maquette Show, Chicago, IL, May 2003

The Center for Contemporary Arts, Wildwired Solo Exhibition, Abilene, Texas, April 2003

The Center for Contemporary Arts, Deck the Walls, Abilene, TX, December 2002

Hardin Simmons University, Faculty Art Show, Abilene, TX, October 2002

The Center for Contemporary Arts, Dia de los Muertos, Abilene, TX, October 2002

ART FAIRS

Denton Art and Jazz Festival, Denton, Texas

Bayou City Art Festival, Houston, Texas

Artoberfest, Galveston, Texas

Town Line Art Fair, Ephraim, Wisconsin

Girl’s Incorporated, Santa Fe, New Mexico

Salado Art Fair, Salado, Texas

PUBLIC COMMISSIONS AND CORPORATE INSTALLATIONS

Racine, Wisconsin Uptown Arts District by commission for The City of Racine, “The Last of Ike”.  June 2009.

The CORE Apartments via The Morgan Group, “Chaos” in Candy Red, permanent placement on premises located on trendy Washington for the upscale urban multi-family award winning development in Houston, Texas, Spring 2009

Trinity College, Hartford, Connecticut: “Unity” was commissioned by the college via a gift of Marshall Blume and created to celebrate the rich and diverse community that is Hartford. December 2007

Monroe County Community College for the Meyer Theatre and La-Z-Boy Center; “Circle Squared”, September 2007.

Dr. Sam Spence, Dentistry. “Elephant” (A life-size steel elephant with stainless steel tusks) by commission for the courtyard. Abilene, Texas, 2007

McMurry University, “Ebb and Flow”, Abilene, Texas, Winter 2007

Multi-Physician Medical Facility, By Commission, “Old Glory No II”, San Antonio, Texas, Summer 2007

The Mall of Abilene, Abilene, Texas: Old Glory, 19 ft tall American Flag was dedication in honor of our men and women in service, permanent public installation June 2006

Denton City Hall, Denton, TX: Festival In Motion, a.k.a. Woman Rolling Down a Hill, purchased by the Denton Festival Foundation for the City of Denton, May 2004

Waterworks Park, Denton, TX: Yellow Baugh Flower, purchased by the City of Denton, May 2003

Civic Center Park, Denton, TX: Circle Tree, purchased by the City of Denton, May 2003

Hardin Simmons University, Abilene, TX: “Tense”, 2002

GRANTS AND AWARDS

Joan Mitchell Foundation; December 2008, sole recipient of a $6000 grant to aid in rebuilding studio after Hurricane Ike.

Featured Artist; 2008, Savor Dallas

Featured Artist; 2006 Artoberfest, Galveston Island, Texas

Featured Artist; 2006 Abilene Artist’s and Artisans Studio Tour.

The Texas Society of Sculptors, Sculptfest 2003 Publication Cover Art, Special Recognition for Explosion of the Heart, Steel Sculpture

Navy Pier Walk 2003, International Outdoor Sculpture Competition at Chicago’s Navy Pier, “Runner”, steel sculpture, exhibited May through October 2003

Oklahoma City Art Festival 2003, Ribbon and Cash Award in Sculpture for Explosion of the Heart, Steel Sculpture

Denton Art and Jazz Festival 2003, Best of Show in Sculpture, Denton, TX, April, 2003

Grant for the construction and permanent installation of large outdoor sculpture at Hardin Simmons University while serving as Visiting Adjunct Professor of 3-D Art, Abilene, TX, Fall 2002

TEACHING APPOINTMENTS

Hardin Simmons University, Abilene, Texas
Visiting Adjunct Professor of 3D Art
Spring Semester 2002

Wired Designs, San Antonio, Texas
Sculpture Workshops
2003