Meet VLAD (Nic) Vandamme

Today we’d like to introduce you to VLAD (Nic) Vandamme.

VLAD, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
When I first started painting it was in college and I was painting my buddies penthouse walls and different fraternities, I was running a marketing company at the time hosting events and designing websites, someone we hired at the time got us mixed up in some trouble and I moved back to California, I was in quite a bit of debt but I met a guy named Laurent who was able to hook me up with a galley in Hongkong of all places, I’ve only ever showed my art around bars in LA and some cartoon characters I sprayed around Portland as a kid so I was very excited. I took the artist name V LA D because my father’s last name is Vandamme and my Mothers, Lapier, and I was originally born in Los Angeles. When the gallery happened, we printed a banner that said VLAD with nod spaces and didn’t have time or money to reprint it so I just adopted the artist name VLAD.

We had success with the gallery which was held at the meridian hotel and cyberport in HK. With the money I had from a small roll I had in a little action movie, and the gallery I was out of debt, my family helped me with get back on my feet but to an extent. I also partnered with a friend named Santiago Jottard and we were able to open a distribution company in South America for cosmetics, our number one product is called Havana Sun, it was from the creator of the Sunscreen company Hawaiian Tropic which was #2 in the world in Intl sales. We also recently started distributing medical supplies to help however we can with the pandemic. Thank your time! Be sure to check out some of my pieces at @Vladfinearts (IG) or Vlad-finearts.com. Also be on the lookout for a new project coming soon #Dammebros.

We’d love to hear more about the company.
I also partnered with a friend named Santiago Jottard and we were able to open a distribution company in South America for cosmetics, our number one product is called Havana Sun, it was from the creator of the Sunscreen company Hawaiian Tropic which was #2 in the world in Intl sales. We also recently started distributing medical supplies to help however we can with the pandemic. Check out Havanasun.com for more info.

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I think California is a flourishing place but right now we’re on an economic shift where new technologies and ways of transactions are mass scales are being implemented due to this pandemic that has everyone terrified. I would say to try to avoid setting a physical location for your business and try to move as much as you can online or have some type of second income that doesn’t require travel.

Contact Info:

• Website: VLAD-finearts.com
• Instagram: @vladfinearts @nicvandamme
• Facebook: Nic Vandamme

Image Credit:
Me, vladdy vlad

Suggest a story: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.