Licensed Colorado artist Nicholas Heilig gets to talking about making art on tour with bands, his performative painting style, and why he's magical.

Favorite Doritos flavor: I prefer booty… Pirate’s Booty. Seriously though, I am GMO-free.

Guilty pleasure: Dubstep. Every genre has some gems.

Do you know magic? Of course — how else could I keep my lady happy as a starving artist?

How did you become an artist? I think everyone is an artist if you think about it, but I am truly blessed to have made performance painting my profession. My fascination with art began with my uncle Brendan. He was an amazing water color artist who lived on a sail boat with his wife. I admired his outlook on life and wanted the same freedom for myself. I started drawing at a very young age, graduated UVM with a BA in Studio Art and have been painting ever since.

You travel to shows to paint, how does that work? Well, two years ago I embarked on my first summer festival tour, which consisted of 15 dates in four states. My car broke down twice, but it was worth every penny. I met so many amazing bands and promoters I had no problem booking myself for a second tour the following summer. I bring a fresh canvas to each performance so the audience can see the entire piece created that night.

Do you have any favorite shows from your past? I have been lucky enough to be involved with the Frendly Gathering for three years in a row now and I would have to say that is easily my favorite festival experience. Let us just say there is no “I” in “Frendly” for a reason. As far as local shows, I had the honor of painting for Twiddle at two consecutive sold out shows, (the Bluebird Theater and the Fox in November 2014). I was so pumped to be painting alongside my hometown rock stars. The energy was incredible and I cannot wait to join them again as they tackle ten Colorado dates this March.

What do you enjoy most about art? Drawing puts me in the zone. It is like skateboarding except without any of the pain. Performance painting is a fun challenge and a fantastic way to travel. I cherish being able to connect with talented musicians and share my process of creation with so many people instantly.

What goes into one of your pieces of artwork? Each piece is unique and a product of its environment. Sometimes I sketch out imagery that goes along with the specific theme of an event; other times I will bring a totally blank canvas and just go with the flow. Occasionally I will let some random audience members paint on my canvas too, like my piece from Rock & Roll Resort last year … this can be a risky move, but it is also a very rewarding challenge.