There are things beneath the surface - unspoken, unseen, yet deeply felt.
I’m drawn to this, to the unknown.

My love for nature, animals, and fantastical realms has led me to create a parallel world—one that feels familiar yet distant.
Historical interiors and gardens are transformed into surreal spaces, inhabited by animals, hybrid creatures, and human figures in unconventional roles.
Much like us, they yearn for love, security, and a place to belong. They wander through, seeking answers, only to find even more questions. The world I create is anti-utopian; it appears tranquil and in harmony, there’s a sense of something unsettling just beneath the surface.

Over many years, I’ve searched for locations and interiors that I’ve brought into my work.
I work in both traditional and digital mediums, each offering unique ways to express my vision.
Through photo collage and illustration, I combine elements from photography with animals and hybrid creatures, often transformed from my own self-portraits. The digital medium fascinates me and opens up endless possibilities, but I also find immense joy in traditional methods, particularly painting with oils. There’s an irreplaceable feeling that comes from the brush on canvas and the experience of working with paint.
I’m grateful to be able to embrace the best of both worlds.

The world I create often tells stories within stories, sometimes through allegory, and with a touch of irony and even humor.
It is deeply rooted in personal experiences and reflections on the world, nature, and society.
Animals and characters represent deeper ideas, symbolizing how wildlife replaces the societies we have constructed throughout history and into an uncertain future.

My art is still a mystery to me. I embrace it, and it speaks back. It is a journey, and I'm uncertain of its destination. Perhaps it offers some answers, or perhaps it simply gives a moment of solace in its beauty.

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In the world of Croatian artist Nikolina Petolas, animals, hybrid creatures, and human figures move through spaces that feel like a journey through time.
Drawing inspiration from nature, historical grandeur, and a futuristic lens, she transforms overgrown interiors and surreal gardens into places of wonder and nostalgia.
Her outcast characters, adrift in their own worlds, reflect our search for meaning in an age of isolation.
With influences from classical traditions and surrealism, Nikolina uses both traditional oil painting and digital techniques to create allegorical narratives about nature, society, and our uncertain future.

Recognized for her distinctive style, Nikolina has collaborated with renowned clients such as Ferragamo and Marriott. Her signature Blue Pear series, developed over the past 12 years, has earned global recognition and prestigious art including the IPA Awards, Beautiful Bizarre, LICC, and notably, the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna.
Nikolina’s art has been showcased through solo and group exhibitions across Europe, the US, and Asia. Her work has been featured in museums, galleries, and cultural landmarks such as Mafra Palace, and has been part of immersive digital art and technology events.

Nikolina Petolas

Artworks by Nikolina Petolas

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Playground by Nikolina Petolas

Oil painting

Sleepers III by Nikolina Petolas

Oil painting

Sleepers II by Nikolina Petolas

Oil painting

Dreaming of Red by Nikolina Petolas

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Mindfulness for beginners by Nikolina Petolas

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We like it Pink by Nikolina Petolas

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Journey by Nikolina Petolas

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Bird House - Night Gathering by Nikolina Petolas

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House in corn field by Nikolina Petolas

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The Fog Seller by Nikolina Petolas

Photograph

Inside Your Mind by Nikolina Petolas

Photograph

No Words by Nikolina Petolas

Photograph