Nicola Heindl
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Nicola Heindl (b. 1965 in London) is a British artist best known for her work on Putumayo World Music album covers.
Heindl grew up outside London, but returned to study illustration at Central St. Martins College of Art and Design. After college, she launched her career as a commercial artist, working as an illustrator and occasional designer for everything from greeting cards and book jackets to newspapers and magazines such as Vogue and Marie Claire.
A little over ten years ago, however, Heindl stopped doing freelance commissions to work almost exclusively for Putumayo World Music. While visiting New York, Heindl met Dan Storper, Putumayo co-founder and CEO, through a mutual acquaintance who was working at Putumayo. Storper had purchased Heindl’s greeting cards in the past and greatly admired her work. He initially commissioned a poster from her, and the relationship evolved from there.
Heindl has painted over eighty colorful album covers for Putumayo World Music. She interprets Putumayo’s music through simple lines, bold colors, and lively scenes that capture the cultures represented on each album. An avid traveler herself, Heindl has been able to witness many of these cultures first-hand and frequently draws on her own experiences for inspiration. Her sketchbooks include drawings from trips to India, Sri Lanka, Cameroon, Morocco, Tanzania, Panama and numerous European countries.
Heindl, her husband and two young sons recently returned to London after residing in Spain for five years. While in Spain they owned a small olive grove just south of Barcelona and produced organic olive oil in their spare time. In addition to her commercial artwork, Heindl also enjoys painting in oils and watercolors.
