Nicole Houff has been photographing Barbie for 17 years, and there’s no end in sight.

“I love Barbie. It would be weird if I didn’t,” Nicole explained to The Lift. “I’ve always wanted to be an artist. So, those two things are pretty constant.”

The Minneapolis-based artist also went back-to-school for photography, allowing her to capture her sense of humor and love for pop culture crystal-clear.

“What’s amazing with Barbie is that- she started in ’59, and there’s very few toys that can elicit a response from people,”‘ Houff says this is clear when does art fairs. People stop to tell her why they like Barbie or don’t like Barbie.

During the summer of 2023, The Barbie Movie created an explosion of interest in the doll and Nicole’s work.

“People of all ages that maybe would’ve probably walked past my booth at a normal art fair. Just the conversation blew up exponentially. Just people’s interest, people wanting to know more about Barbie, or wanting to know more about my art.”

“It was this wacky ride that I had no part of creating, but I loved it.”

Northlanders can stop by Nicole’s booth at Bayfront Art Festival. That’s August 17 & 18. This is her second time at the festival.

She’ll also have a presence at the Minnesota State Fair in the Fine Arts exhibit, which Houff designates as a must-visit.

You can find Nicole any time on her website, as well.