Nicky’s a full time artist based near Orpington, Kent (South East of London). She’s a mum to two boys and an F1 golden doodle dog owner.
There are two distinct sides to her world, both equally alive in her art. One side is poetic and introspective, drawn to the mystery of emotion and the unseen. Her figurative portraits are dreamlike portals, often adorned with glowing energy, soft florals, and luminous skies. They speak to the deeper, more spiritual layers of life, the way we connect, drift, and find pieces of ourselves in imagined places. Each piece invites the viewer to pause, meditate upon and sense something beyond the surface.
The other side… She finds just as much inspiration in the whimsical, mythical and wild, bringing strong animal, totem characters to life with large central, portrait compositions, soft ethereal, light filled colours and dynamic patterns. Her background …
Nicky has always loved drawing and painting and creating sculptural, textured art from a young age, with the support and encouragement of her mum, who is a talented artist. She lived in tropical countries such as Indonesia and Guyana as a young child for a few years where her love of vibrant colours began. She gained an A in A- level art and then after an art foundation course at Trowbridge college in Wiltshire, she moved up to Scotland to study a BA Hons Degree at the Glasgow School of Art in Embroidered and Woven Textile Design. After her Degree she working in various jobs in the creative industry including working for an art gallery in Glasgow called Project Ability for adults with learning difficulties and mental health problems. She then studied graphic / web design and gradually worked her way up to sole multimedia graphic design roles for large corporate companies in London, leaving textiles and painting behind for decades. After a much needed a change and a break from graphic design work, in 2021 she decided to be brave and start creating and showcasing art that had meaning for her and reignite her passion to paint again become an artist. “Nicky creates with dual intention. Her surreal, figurative, dreamlike works stirs the unseen, inviting quiet reflection and emotional depth. Her playful pieces, on the other hand, burst with energy and joy, made to uplift and delight. Whether stirring the heart or sparking a smile, her art is meant to be felt.”
Her creative process is a fusion of many different visual inspirations. She initially designs and plays with ideas digitally using Procreate and Photoshop, drawing on her background as a graphic designer. She gathers imagery from a variety of sources, including AI tools, stock photo sites, and her own photography. Then, collages these elements together to build unique compositions, adjusting the colours, adding textures and filters, and reworking the image until it becomes something completely original. That final reference image is what she paints from.
Even though she sometimes uses AI as part of the process, every piece is deeply personal and entirely her own. It’s really important to her that her work feels authentic and comes from the heart. She is always conscious of not copying others or following trends, she genuinely want to create something fresh, new and meaningful.
It’s challenging to be truly original in a world where everything’s been done in some way, but her aim is to carve out her own path as an artist. She wants to offer something unique and different, rather than blend in with what’s already out there.DM to enquire about any of her pieces or if you’d like to commission her to create a bespoke piece just for you. “A unicorn doesn’t need to be told it’s magical—it simply is”✨🦄