A selection of colourful portraits by artist and illustrator Sheila Nicolin from Detroit, Michigan. Drawing on her background in pattern design, Nicolin’s compositions explore her personal struggle to find a sense of calm and focus in the absence of silence through the use of bold colour and ‘loud’ prints:

“Shrouded by their surroundings, these characters are sometimes full of confidence and sometimes of despair, but are surrounded–and nearly overtaken–nonetheless. Controlled phases of hysteria, calm and staged confidence are represented through the variety of shielded expressions, providing a relatably unclear and confused response to the constant distractions of hyper-stimulation.”

See more from “Distracted” below. Each week our members share their work with us and we highlight the best of these submissions as Editors’ Picks. If you have work to share, you can learn more about becoming a member.