Episode 208: Art, neurodivergence and self-discovery – with Nick Heaney

The episode transcript is below.

Carolyn Kiel: Welcome to Beyond 6 Seconds, the podcast that goes beyond the six second first impression to share the extraordinary stories of neurodivergent people. I’m your host, Carolyn Kiel.

On today’s episode, I’m speaking with Nick Heaney, a resident artist and co founder of Artnova Gallery in Chatham, Massachusetts. Nick has always found art to be his most authentic way of connecting with the world around him.

Nick was diagnosed with dyslexia during elementary school. He struggled with written language, but found a connection through art. He went on to study graphic design and fine art, earning a BFA in graphic design from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.

At the age of 26, Nick came out as gay to his friends and family with the hope of finding a partner in the future. However, he still felt a sense of disconnect with the people around him, which led to a deeper struggle with his mental health. At the age of 28, Nick sought an autism evaluation, which resulted in diagnoses of both autism and ADHD. Nick, welcome to the podcast.

Nick Heaney: Thanks for having me.

Carolyn Kiel: Thanks for being a guest on my show. So I’m really excited to learn about your story and the great art and all the work that you do. So, I guess to start off from the beginning, what was it like growing up with dyslexia?

Nick Heaney: Yeah, so I was diagnosed with dyslexia in elementary school, and at first I really struggled to understand it, like, why I was being taken out of my classes and being put into special education classes.

In some ways it made me feel dumber than, or compared to, my peers. And, you know, fellow students would make rude comments about some of my accommodations, like extra time and test taking, when in the classroom they would finish the test in five minutes, and I would take the whole class and still need that extra time.

And I now see that as a blessing that I was given the accommodations for dyslexia, because I believe with my other struggles related to autism and ADHD and processing time and stuff, those accommodations were also helpful for the unknown at the time.

Carolyn Kiel: Yeah, absolutely. And we mentioned in your bio that you struggled with written language, but you always found your talent and your passion in art.

So have you been an artist since you were really young or like, how did you get started with art?

Nick Heaney: Uh, yes, I have always been a creative person since I was very young, and like I said, writing was a challenge. So my parents and my grandmother were very encouraging on my art. I would spend a lot of time with my grandmother drawing and doodling at her dining room table.

I remember one drawing I did of her and my sister and I and when I was done she put it in her purse and would take it around to different family events and stuff and show everyone the art I made. And more recently I was re watching a family video when I was a kid. And my dad was going around showing some of my artwork and says, “well, I hope Nick uses his talents when he grows up!” So I just thought that was a nice moment.

Carolyn Kiel: That’s great that your family was really supportive of your art talents and really encouraged you and, and helped you grow and, and support you because that’s a big part of what you do today.

I’d love to learn more about your artwork, like what inspires you today as you do your art?

Nick Heaney: So I’m very inspired by my surroundings here on Cape Cod. I’m surrounded by the ocean, sand dunes, and national seashore, and so very inspired by the movement and textures of the environment. My paintings are very heavily textured a lot of the time, where I’ll use heavy body acrylics to sculpt the waves that come out of the canvas and sometimes I’ll mix sand into the acrylic that I collect on local beaches and stuff and mix it in, creating sand dunes and yeah, so when I’m not painting, I’m taking time walking around the seashore and going up to Provincetown, walking through the sand dunes and just going to the beach and crouching down and looking at the formations of the waves.

And also inspired by looking at other art, so I’ll kind of plan trips to go to different museums and stuff like the MFA in Boston and the Met in New York City and most recently I was at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Carolyn Kiel: That’s great. Yeah, I’ve seen a lot of your art on Instagram and you paint a lot of your natural surroundings of Cape Cod and the ocean and the beach and the sand and the dunes.

And yeah, your paintings are just amazing. Like I can definitely feel myself there in that environment when I look at them. It’s just really, really beautiful artwork. You mentioned you do acrylics, like, I guess, what are your favorite artistic medium or media that you like to work in?

Nick Heaney: Yeah, so my favorite is acrylic. So I’m able to achieve texture with different bodies of paint, different textures of paint to build it up. And also I like the fact that the paint does dry kind of quickly.

Carolyn Kiel: Yeah.

Nick Heaney: I have tried oil in the past and I think with my ADHD, I’m like, a little impatient with the drying time of oil.

Carolyn Kiel: Oh, wow. How long does oil take to dry versus acrylic?

Nick Heaney: Yeah, oils could be up to a week or more to dry.

Carolyn Kiel: Oh, wow.

Nick Heaney: Depending. And with the textures I make, it could take a lot longer than that, where with acrylic it’s a couple hours at the most.

Carolyn Kiel: Wow. How many hours a day do you spend painting? Or does it depend on the day?

Nick Heaney: It depends on the day, but typically I try to do at least an hour a day, sometimes more.

Carolyn Kiel: Yeah. That’s really cool. And, I know you have your own art gallery now and I’ll ask you a little bit more about that and how your art business came to be, but also want to go back to your story.

So, we mentioned in your introduction that you made the decision to come out as gay at the age of 26. How did you make that decision? What was it that inspired you to, to share that with your friends and family?

Nick Heaney: Yeah, well, I always felt like there was something a little off. I always knew, but I just wanted to share my truth with my family and friends.

And I ended up coming out to a close friend, who encouraged me to share with my family. And I was actually on a trip down in Florida, visiting Disney. And outside of our condo, a giant rainbow appeared in the sky.

Carolyn Kiel: Wow.

Nick Heaney: So after that happened, I took that opportunity to come out to my sister and brother in law, and just share that part of my world with them.

Carolyn Kiel: Yeah. What was the reaction of your family and friends when you, when you shared that?

Nick Heaney: It was good. I was nervous to share it with them, but they were all completely open and completely understanding.

Carolyn Kiel: That’s great.

Nick Heaney: And actually that morning we actually did go to the Pulse nightclub memorial as well. And just seeing some of the, uh, and seeing, there was one name on the memorial that read “anonymous” because the person was not open and that was kind of inspiring too to just open up to my family.

Carolyn Kiel: Yeah, that’s a, that’s a big, that’s a big step and a big milestone. So again, it’s great that your friends and family were supportive of you. Absolutely.

Even more recently than that, you recently got your autism and ADHD diagnosis at the age of 28. What led you to explore getting a diagnosis?

Nick Heaney: Yeah, I always felt a little bit of a struggle in connecting with others.

Carolyn Kiel: Yeah.

Nick Heaney: And part of me thought it was maybe because I was hiding my sexuality and that coming out would help ease that. But after that I was still feeling a bit of a disconnect and it really started to affect my mental health. I started kind of isolating more and also yeah, I just struggled to connect and notice some other things like making eye contact and stuff was challenging for me and kind of controlling my volume and articulating certain things and some emotional things. And so I just started, um, I started regressing a little bit and just struggling. And also was talking a lot with my business partner and he was, we kind of worked together a lot at the beginning and it’s kind of there as I was interacting with others, and ended up asking if I ever considered the possibility of autism diagnosis or know anything about autism.

And at that time, it was a struggle because I had a lot of misconceptions of what autism was and just a lot of extreme stereotypes, but I started doing a lot of research, like listening to this podcast and, um, listening to a lot of social media influencers on the spectrum and started really connecting with them.

At that moment, I decided to reach out to Cape Cod Psychology and ended up getting an appointment for an evaluation and went in and did the evaluation, a four hour evaluation and a lot of follow up in a couple of weeks. And I was diagnosed with autism and also ADHD.

And at the time getting the report that ADHD was a little bit of a surprise to me. And I’m like, Oh, this actually makes a lot of sense. Cause I also had misconceptions about ADHD cause I’m not a hyperactive person. I have the form where I get easily distracted and like kinda so like someone walks by I’ll kind of look off in the distance and kind of have trouble coming back to what I was doing. So I’m like, Oh, this makes sense. And kind of walking away from projects to start a new project.

Carolyn Kiel: Wow, it’s interesting. Our journeys in that way are, are kind of similar in that piece in terms of, you know, yeah, I know I felt sort of that something was different about me. And then like you and like, I think many, many people, had misconceptions about autism and ADHD and well, I’m not ADHD, but I’m still learning so much about, um, about those different neurotypes. And then connecting with other autistic creators and people and being like, Oh, I have such a connection with everybody, and then leading that to diagnosis. So yeah, that’s really interesting how parallel our journeys are.

And I’m grateful that this podcast was at least a small part of your journey. And, uh, thank you for listening. That’s really great to hear. So thank you for that.

You’ve gotten a lot of information about yourself in a relatively short amount of time. And when you reached out to me about being on the show, you said that you’ve basically had to kind of learn and relearn how to navigate the world as a queer autistic and ADHD and I guess also dyslexic person or multiply neurodivergent, I guess we could say. So what’s that process been like? Like, how have you been learning and relearning since you got your diagnosis?

Nick Heaney: Oh yeah. So I am still very much learning and navigate the world and it’s been a couple of months now. So I am still on that journey. I am gaining a deeper, more compassionate understanding of myself and kind of just giving myself a little bit of leniency when talking with others. And when I really want to focus more deeply I will not make eye contact so I can actually hear what’s being said in the conversation. And I’m working now with therapists as well that are helping me to navigate this.

So I was recently featured in Cape Cod Art Magazine, which is a local art publication, shared my story, and I shared about my diagnosis in there, and I was recently commissioned to do a painting for a woman who was reading the article. And then she actually shared with me that her son was recently diagnosed with autism. And we just had a deep connection at that moment. And she was giving me some more processing time during my explanation of my process. And it was just, I felt completely seen and understood by her. And she ended up thanking me for sharing my story and kind of showing her some positive examples of autism.

Carolyn Kiel: That’s wonderful. Maybe it’s just my own experience, but I feel like a lot of people just don’t get to see examples of autistic adults out in the world doing different things. I think a lot of misconceptions either say that all autistic adults maybe only do one type of work or only present one type of way. And it sounds like it was really helpful for her to see an autistic adult who is really connected with his talents and is thriving and enjoying and has his own business, which is really awesome. So yeah, that’s great that you made that connection.

And it also seems like it taught you to be a little more patient or gentle with yourself, or allowing yourself to say, not always have to make eye contact because it helps you concentrate better when you’re not, and giving yourself permission to do that. And I think that’s a big step that it takes a lot of people to sometimes take a long time to get to. That’s really wonderful, even in just the space of a few months.

I’m curious, in terms of finding community with others, have you been able to connect with any wider communities of either other neurodivergent people or the queer community or, or anything like that, that you’ve done recently?

Nick Heaney: I have. So, I actually recently started attending some online queer autistic support groups through the Association of Autism and Neurodiversity based out of Watertown, Massachusetts, which is a suburb of Boston. So they actually have monthly support groups and I’m able to log in and just share community that way.

I’m also going in and looking for community with other artists in the area as well. And I recently signed up to actually lead some classes at a local nonprofit, which is Cape Cod Collaborative Artist Network that actually is an artist network for people with disabilities. And so aspiring artists are going in, and I’m going to start going in and hope to lead some classes and also take some classes as well.

Carolyn Kiel: That’s awesome! Yeah, that’s great that you have those local communities and it sounds like some are online, some are in person. That’s really awesome. And, and how exciting that you get to take classes and potentially even lead classes with other artists and other people who are really interested in art!

Speaking of art, you know, we talked about your passion for art and now you’ve actually co founded your own art gallery. So how did you make that decision to go into business and found your own gallery?

Nick Heaney: So I was working for an artist, Steve Lyons, and his partner Peter Demers at the Steve Lyons Gallery here in Chatham. So I was introduced to Steve by my grandfather, and Steve ended up asking me to show off my portfolio of artwork. So I did that, so he invited me to the gallery to help him open up for the summer. This was right after I graduated high school, and I ended up working for them for almost 10 years.

And in the last year, Steve was diagnosed with cancer. So him and his partner had to, or went out to LA for some trials, and in their absence, they hired someone to come in and manage the gallery, Gabriel Beaton, who is now my business partner. And while they were out in L. A., they actually contacted COVID. It was 2021. And Peter actually succumbed to his illness. And Steve Lyons ended up losing his battle to cancer shortly thereafter. And that gallery was being shut down.

So Gabriel decided that he wanted to stay here. His mom Kate Merrick is an artist who also shares the studio with me here at the gallery. And he has a lot of other artists in his life and he himself is a very talented photographer. So he decided he wanted to go in business and open the gallery and kind of really encouraged me to take part in that. And since I was an artist and was creating work, he invited me to do that and together we co founded Artnova Gallery.

Carolyn Kiel: What’s it like running your own business?

Nick Heaney: So it’s, it’s nice. I mean, like it’s good having, it’s like being able to set your own schedule and that type of thing. And I am also very fortunate to have a business partner because there’s some areas of business operation that I struggle with, I think kind of related to my neurodiversity, like executive functioning challenges and stuff. And sometimes I struggle with that. So I’m able to lean on him to do some of the other tasks involved, like taxes and stuff.

Carolyn Kiel: That’s good to have a partner to help because business just requires so many different skills that yeah, you almost kind of need a second person who can help balance out the different skill sets. And that’s great that, uh, that partnership sounds like it really works very well.

Nick Heaney: It does.

Carolyn Kiel: Yeah. So what big goals do you have for your art?

Nick Heaney: So the big goals I have for my art is just to make a deeper connection with the world around me. I hope to make a body of art, that in the future, serves as a form of activism or advocacy for people on the spectrum, and neurodivergence in general, which I’m still working through.

And I recently, this past weekend, actually had two pieces of artwork on display in Philadelphia, hosted by The Autistic Art Coalition of Philadelphia, which was the largest sensory friendly, autistic neurodivergent and disabled art exhibition. And I was able to show two pieces there. And that was a very exciting opportunity and I was very happy to be a part of that.

Carolyn Kiel: It’s great that there are art galleries like that, that have a sensory friendly environment and really provide those opportunities to share art and enjoy art as spectators as well!

Nick, how can people get in touch with you if they want to either see your art or buy your artwork?

Nick Heaney: So people can get in touch with me by visiting me at my studio at Artnova Gallery in Chatham. So I’m here most days painting and also see all the other work available here by other artists including Kate, who I share the studio with, and Gabriel’s photography. And our work is also available at ArtNovaGallery.com and on Instagram at artnovagallery. I also have my personal Instagram, which is nickheaneyart. And my art is also available at Diversity Consignment in Jamaica Plains Boston, and will soon be available at the Association for Autism and Neurodiversity Artist Collaborative in Watertown, Massachusetts.

Carolyn Kiel: Very cool. Yeah, your reach is really growing and that’s so exciting. I’ll put links to your websites and Instagram accounts in the show notes so that people can connect with you online or if they, they want to visit, they can find you through the website as well. That’s great. Yeah.

Well, Nick, it’s been great talking with you on the podcast and I’m just such a big fan of your artwork. I really love the work that you do. Is there anything else that you’d like our listeners to know or anything that they can help or support you with?

Nick Heaney: Yeah, so. I would say first and foremost to support your local artists in your area. And if you are considering the possibility that you might be autistic or have ADHD, I would say consider the possibility of getting an evaluation. And if you have a shy friend or someone, like invite them out to dinner, invite them to join your group. And just lastly check out all of my art and give me a follow on Instagram.

Carolyn Kiel: That’s awesome. Yeah. And great advice again to reach out to people who maybe are a little shy and build those connections. Because on different levels, we all need at least some form of, of connection in this world. So, yeah. Thanks again, Nick. It’s been great talking with you. I really appreciate you being a guest on my podcast.

Nick Heaney: Yes. Thank you too. I’m excited to be here.

Carolyn Kiel: Thanks for listening to Beyond 6 Seconds. Please help me spread the word about this podcast. Share it with a friend, give it a shout out on your social media, or write a review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast player. You can find all of my episodes and sign up for my free newsletter at Beyond6seconds.net. Until next time.