Nik Rafin’s educational foundation is solid, having acquired a Bachelor of Arts in Advertising and Mass Communication from Marquette University, Milwaukee, and a minor in Fine Arts from the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design. An adept photographer, Nik Rafin honed his skills through an Advanced Photography program at the New York Institute of Photography. His foray into the art realm commenced in 1997 as an illustrator and editorial cartoonist for Marquette Tribune News Paper in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a graphic artist for the University Ministry, Marquette University, as well as an illustrator for Walt Disney’s promotional board.

Nik Rafin held several solo exhibitions in Malaysia starting from the 2000s, including at the Golden Palette Art Gallery, Selangor (2001, 2005, 2007), Sunway Convention Centre, Petaling Jaya organised by Pelikan Holdings (2006), Artisan Fine Art (2014) and so on. He participated in group exhibitions held in Balai Seni Negara (2005), Shah Alam Art Gallery (2005), Sabah National Art Gallery (2005), Alai Seni Lukis Negara Malaysia (2006) and more. His works are included in the collections of Walt Disney (USA), Sony (Malaysia), Canon (Malaysia), Petronas (Malaysia), Pelikan (Germany), New Straits Times Press (Malaysia), Kementerian Kesenian, Kebudayaan dan Warisan Malaysia, just to name a few.