Nik Harless
@nikharless.bsky.social
Neurodivergent queer artist with a taste for the dark and weird
https://nyxite.wordpress.com/
Art for sale here: https://ko-fi.com/nikharless
https://nyxite.wordpress.com/
Art for sale here: https://ko-fi.com/nikharless
This is from my sketchbook a couple years ago. It was about burnout and the effects of masking and trying to present to the world a false version of yourself that people want you to be. Watercolor and colored pencil.
#watercolor #art #queerartist #autisticartist
#watercolor #art #queerartist #autisticartist
August 28, 2026 at 4:24 PM
This is from my sketchbook a couple years ago. It was about burnout and the effects of masking and trying to present to the world a false version of yourself that people want you to be. Watercolor and colored pencil.
#watercolor #art #queerartist #autisticartist
#watercolor #art #queerartist #autisticartist
August 3, 2026 at 3:49 AM
I decided to incorporate pages ripped from a donated Harry Potter book, and I ended up with this lovely tortoiseshell. Hey, I can't control the magic. 😉
#art #queerartist #autisticartist
#art #queerartist #autisticartist
July 13, 2026 at 8:05 PM
I decided to incorporate pages ripped from a donated Harry Potter book, and I ended up with this lovely tortoiseshell. Hey, I can't control the magic. 😉
#art #queerartist #autisticartist
#art #queerartist #autisticartist
This one emerged totally from the subconscious. I had zero intention while painting this, just playing with gouache on cardboard. I don't know what it is. Do you?
#art #queerartist #autisticartist #gouache
#art #queerartist #autisticartist #gouache
July 8, 2026 at 9:18 PM
This one emerged totally from the subconscious. I had zero intention while painting this, just playing with gouache on cardboard. I don't know what it is. Do you?
#art #queerartist #autisticartist #gouache
#art #queerartist #autisticartist #gouache
July 5, 2026 at 9:41 PM
My brain is not wired for the "career path" framework. It's time for me to own that.
open.substack.com/pub/neuronik...
open.substack.com/pub/neuronik...
I Don't Need a Ladder to Get Where I'm Going
Rejecting career as identity in favor of curiosity, craft, and actual living
open.substack.com
June 27, 2026 at 5:14 PM
My brain is not wired for the "career path" framework. It's time for me to own that.
open.substack.com/pub/neuronik...
open.substack.com/pub/neuronik...
Started drawing with both hands at the same time with my eyes closed, then it evolved into this.
#art #queerartist #autisticartist
#art #queerartist #autisticartist
June 25, 2026 at 3:56 AM
Started drawing with both hands at the same time with my eyes closed, then it evolved into this.
#art #queerartist #autisticartist
#art #queerartist #autisticartist
This is my space for writing about my lived experience as a burned out queer autistic artist with CPTSD and 3 cats. I am stubbornly optimistic, despite my occasional rants, and I try not to take myself too seriously. Join me if you want to commiserate.
open.substack.com/pub/neuronik...
open.substack.com/pub/neuronik...
May 28, 2026 at 6:18 PM
This is my space for writing about my lived experience as a burned out queer autistic artist with CPTSD and 3 cats. I am stubbornly optimistic, despite my occasional rants, and I try not to take myself too seriously. Join me if you want to commiserate.
open.substack.com/pub/neuronik...
open.substack.com/pub/neuronik...
Randomly awake at 6AM for no reason after 4 hours of sleep, I got up and painted this.
#art #blackcats #queerartist #autisticartist
#art #blackcats #queerartist #autisticartist
May 22, 2026 at 11:33 PM
Randomly awake at 6AM for no reason after 4 hours of sleep, I got up and painted this.
#art #blackcats #queerartist #autisticartist
#art #blackcats #queerartist #autisticartist
My body is approximately 98.9% cortisol, and I'm working on diluting it.
Alcohol markers in my sketchbook
#art #neurographics #queerartist #autisticartist
Alcohol markers in my sketchbook
#art #neurographics #queerartist #autisticartist
May 18, 2026 at 6:47 PM
My body is approximately 98.9% cortisol, and I'm working on diluting it.
Alcohol markers in my sketchbook
#art #neurographics #queerartist #autisticartist
Alcohol markers in my sketchbook
#art #neurographics #queerartist #autisticartist
May 5, 2026 at 10:45 PM
One of my favorite things to do in my sketchbook is to splash random ink on the pages and then draw the pareidolic images I see.
#art #ink #sketchbook #queerartist #autisticartist
#art #ink #sketchbook #queerartist #autisticartist
May 5, 2026 at 10:29 PM
One of my favorite things to do in my sketchbook is to splash random ink on the pages and then draw the pareidolic images I see.
#art #ink #sketchbook #queerartist #autisticartist
#art #ink #sketchbook #queerartist #autisticartist
Reposted by Nik Harless
I don't want to shoot videos
I don't want to post tutorials
I don't want to show my process
I don't want to pour varnish
I don't want to turn my canvas
I don't want to record my screen
I don't want to cultivate parasocial relationships
I just want to make pictures and shitpost
I don't want to post tutorials
I don't want to show my process
I don't want to pour varnish
I don't want to turn my canvas
I don't want to record my screen
I don't want to cultivate parasocial relationships
I just want to make pictures and shitpost
The way profit maxxing corpo culture has invaded every form of art through algorithms pushing people into daily posting is really weighing on me lately. Efficiency and regularity of making "content" being prized above all else feels so grim, man.
April 19, 2026 at 12:33 AM
I don't want to shoot videos
I don't want to post tutorials
I don't want to show my process
I don't want to pour varnish
I don't want to turn my canvas
I don't want to record my screen
I don't want to cultivate parasocial relationships
I just want to make pictures and shitpost
I don't want to post tutorials
I don't want to show my process
I don't want to pour varnish
I don't want to turn my canvas
I don't want to record my screen
I don't want to cultivate parasocial relationships
I just want to make pictures and shitpost
I need more art in my feed to balance it out, because it's really heavy on politics right now, and I'm feeling despair. If you are an artist and need the same, let's follow each other. This painting is from a dream, creatures awakened by mining. #horror #queerartist #autisticartist #art #acrylics
April 20, 2026 at 6:37 PM
I need more art in my feed to balance it out, because it's really heavy on politics right now, and I'm feeling despair. If you are an artist and need the same, let's follow each other. This painting is from a dream, creatures awakened by mining. #horror #queerartist #autisticartist #art #acrylics
March 25, 2026 at 5:28 AM
I love supernatural horror and forteana, because none of it can ever be as scary as humans.
#art #queerartist #autisticartist
#art #queerartist #autisticartist
March 1, 2026 at 8:51 PM
I love supernatural horror and forteana, because none of it can ever be as scary as humans.
#art #queerartist #autisticartist
#art #queerartist #autisticartist
I painted this in 2009 and kept it private. Not because I was unsure of it, but because I was unsure of the room I was standing in.
I'm no longer trying to shrink myself to fit someone else's comfort. I've found people who see me and don't flinch.
#queerartist #autisticartist #digitalpainting
I'm no longer trying to shrink myself to fit someone else's comfort. I've found people who see me and don't flinch.
#queerartist #autisticartist #digitalpainting
February 13, 2026 at 6:28 PM
I painted this in 2009 and kept it private. Not because I was unsure of it, but because I was unsure of the room I was standing in.
I'm no longer trying to shrink myself to fit someone else's comfort. I've found people who see me and don't flinch.
#queerartist #autisticartist #digitalpainting
I'm no longer trying to shrink myself to fit someone else's comfort. I've found people who see me and don't flinch.
#queerartist #autisticartist #digitalpainting
Self-portrait Sunday (posted a day late), gouache in a sketchbook
#self-portrait #gouache #painting #queerartist #autisticartist
#self-portrait #gouache #painting #queerartist #autisticartist
February 9, 2026 at 9:40 PM
Self-portrait Sunday (posted a day late), gouache in a sketchbook
#self-portrait #gouache #painting #queerartist #autisticartist
#self-portrait #gouache #painting #queerartist #autisticartist
Marker and pencil study — Quentin Crisp
#art #markers #portrait #quentincrisp #queerartist #autisticartist
#art #markers #portrait #quentincrisp #queerartist #autisticartist
January 21, 2026 at 6:49 PM
Marker and pencil study — Quentin Crisp
#art #markers #portrait #quentincrisp #queerartist #autisticartist
#art #markers #portrait #quentincrisp #queerartist #autisticartist
January 17, 2026 at 8:18 PM
January 15, 2026 at 9:02 PM
Burnout isn’t fatigue.
It’s where you’ve pushed far past your limits—and you can’t rest, but you also can’t keep moving.
#art #painting #burnout #queerartist #autisticartist
It’s where you’ve pushed far past your limits—and you can’t rest, but you also can’t keep moving.
#art #painting #burnout #queerartist #autisticartist
January 12, 2026 at 10:11 PM
Burnout isn’t fatigue.
It’s where you’ve pushed far past your limits—and you can’t rest, but you also can’t keep moving.
#art #painting #burnout #queerartist #autisticartist
It’s where you’ve pushed far past your limits—and you can’t rest, but you also can’t keep moving.
#art #painting #burnout #queerartist #autisticartist
Here's a Christmas tribute to the adorable Oscar.
#art #painting #petportrait #queerartist #autisticartist
#art #painting #petportrait #queerartist #autisticartist
December 21, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Here's a Christmas tribute to the adorable Oscar.
#art #painting #petportrait #queerartist #autisticartist
#art #painting #petportrait #queerartist #autisticartist
This just came out of nowhere, unplanned. Don't let the bastards grind you down. For sale on ko-fi, if interested. Link in profile!
#art #painting #queerartist #autisticartist
#art #painting #queerartist #autisticartist
November 25, 2025 at 8:01 PM
This just came out of nowhere, unplanned. Don't let the bastards grind you down. For sale on ko-fi, if interested. Link in profile!
#art #painting #queerartist #autisticartist
#art #painting #queerartist #autisticartist
Ink blot painting on a postcard. (Original art postcards are a reward on my Ko-fi! Link in profile.)
#art #painting #cats #queerartist #autisticartist
#art #painting #cats #queerartist #autisticartist
November 24, 2025 at 6:22 PM
Ink blot painting on a postcard. (Original art postcards are a reward on my Ko-fi! Link in profile.)
#art #painting #cats #queerartist #autisticartist
#art #painting #cats #queerartist #autisticartist