Meet Nicholas J.M. Cloutman | Agent, Consultant, & Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nicholas J.M. Cloutman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nicholas J.M., why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I don’t feel like I’ve ever actively pursued an artistic ‘career’, but it seems to have pursued me. I think art is in all of us, and all around us, but for those of us who embrace an artistic lifestyle, it becomes kind of a compulsion. At a young age I couldn’t stop drawing. I went to school for writing. And then wondering how the hell anyone makes money as a writer I decided to make my ‘career path’ a bit more divergent and rejoin a band I started early in college. The band (LUSTRA) brought me to Los Angeles (sight unseen), where I ultimately fell in with TASCHEN, the German publishing house. On paper, my resume might look somewhat intentional, but I think it was the compulsion for creative expression that was always pushing me along regardless of logic.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I formed Cloutman Creative Studio out of a love for fine art photography. From the onset our approach has been different from the model followed by most agencies.

We represent a select group of established and emerging artists with a commitment to developing and maintaining career advancement in all facets of the fine art and commercial worlds. At the same time new and experienced art collectors know us for our tenacity in sourcing archival quality pieces that meet their specific tastes and needs. We have also consulted on a number of creative endeavors including exhibitions, films, and publications.

Included in this feature you will find a sampling of photos by four of the eight artists currently included on our roster, including Gregory Bojorquez, Jim Herrington, Larry Niehues, and Lawrence Schiller. More information is available regarding each artist at our website, along with a closer look at the rest of the artists we work with. Special thanks to Laura Moreau for her recent portrait of Nick Cloutman featured in this article as well.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We have been displaced from our home and studio in Altadena following the recent Eaton Canyon fire that destroyed much of Altadena. While our home and studio fortunately still stand, many of the small businesses we loved so much perished in the fire.

Here is a short list of businesses we hope will rise and return again:
Altadena Hardware, El Rancho Bar, Cafe de Leche, Pizza of Venice, Side Pie, Willema Hat Co and so many more.

Here’s a brief list of other places we love in Los Angeles:

Bars & Restaurants: Casita del Campo, Casa Vega, El Carmen, El Coyote, Edendale, Figaro Bistro, Good Neighbor Bar, Neptune’s Net, Kismet Rotisserie, Ferrazzani’s Pasta & Market
Bookstores: TASCHEN, Skylight Books, Wacko Soap Plantation
Galleries: Fahey/Klein Gallery, M+B Gallery, Peter Fetterman Gallery, Bergamot Station
Wine & Spirits: West Altadena Wine, Silverlake Wine, Altadena Beverage

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
With nearly 14 years at TASCHEN, I would be remiss if I didn’t give a tip of the hat to Benedikt Taschen who gave me some great exposure to some of the biggest names in the art world and allowed me to help create the first ever TASCHEN Gallery, which existed as a ‘pop-up’ space for over four years.

I went on to work for Fahey/Klein Gallery where I was able to hone my fine art photography knowledge further working with David Fahey, one of America’s preeminent fine art photography gallerists.

And of course, I wouldn’t be where I am without the immensely talented artists I represent and the inspiring works they continue to create. Special thanks is always reserved for my wife, Inga for her continued creativity, love, and encouragement. Our three children are a constant source of inspiration, who look at the world in a completely fresh way and ask those questions many adults have forgotten to ask.

Website: https://www.cloutmancreativestudio.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cloutman_creative_studio/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cloutman-creative-studio/?viewAsMember=true

Alfred Hitchcock and Tippi Hedren, 1962 © Lawrence Schiller
Paul Newman and Robert Redford, Durango, Mexico, 1968 © Lawrence Schiller

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