NSU student to present artwork in Paris, France

By Bryce Johnson •

During the ATypI conference on May 9-14, Nicholas Waguespack, senior art and design major and gallery manager of NSU Gallery 217, will present his book “Wander Type: Vieux Carré” in Paris, France.

Waguespack, originally from South Louisiana, based “Wander Type: Vieux Carré” on underrepresented typography in the French Quarter, a neighborhood in New Orleans.

Nicholas Waguespack, senior art and design major, holds his book “Wander Type: Vieux Carré.” COURTESY OF NICHOLAS WAGUESPACK.

“I started on my book as part of my typography course taught by Dr. Miriam Ahmed. It was a project about showcasing underrepresented typography,” Waguespack said. “That was a really big moment for me, publishing that and receiving all of the nice compliments and everything about the book. That was really big.”

In addition to his book, Waguespack has had several other achievements throughout his time making art. He was accepted into the talented art program at his high school, worked for NSU Art Museum and completed an internship at IS Projects, a Miami art center, in 2022. Waguespack creates art using several different mediums, including watercolor and different forms of printmaking. Each of his artworks are reflective and represent Waguespack’s innermost feelings.

“My art’s very introspective. It kind of analyzes who I am as a queer person who grew up in a conservative South Louisiana household. So I guess I’m the biggest inspiration for my art ‘cause my art mainly focuses on me and my experiences as a queer person,” Waguespack said. “I made a clown costume covered in slurs that I was called when I was growing up, and that one has received a lot of really positive feedback and I think that piece has resonated with a lot of people.”

As the manager of NSU Gallery 217, Waguespack curates exhibitions and decides the layout of the gallery. Recently, Waguespack worked on the 14th Annual Juried Student Art Exhibition, which is on display in Gallery 217 until April 19.

Waguespack became interested in the gallery manager position when he saw a listing for it online.

“It’s not meant to be a student position, so they kind of took a little bit of a leap letting me have the position as a student,”

Waguespack said. “I asked them and I interviewed and they liked me, and I had some experience doing art related things. I was a Federal Work-Study student at the NSU Art Museum. I worked in the education department for a bit and I also worked for the front desk. So I had some experience coming into it.”

Waguespack first started at NSU as a psychology major, later becoming a neuroscience major, because he felt obligated to pursue a career that makes a lot of money. After deciding he didn’t want a lot of money if it made him miserable, Waguespack switched his major to art and design when he realized the only courses he enjoyed involved making art.

“I took a museum studies and gallery practices class, and that kind of really prepared me for this position, managing the art gallery. It goes over different aspects of the art world,” Waguespack said. “I’ve learned lots of practical things, like how to make sculptures in my sculpture classes and stuff like that.”

After the ATypI conference in May, Waguespack will attend the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where he will pursue an MFA in print media for two years. Waguespack hopes to eventually develop more books, create/sell art and teach art classes of his own.

“I really love teaching. My time working in the education department at the NSU Art Museum kind of really showed me that I really enjoyed working with kids. I really enjoyed teaching people about art,” Waguespack said. “Follow your heart, and if your heart’s telling you that you want to pursue art, definitely give it a shot.”