Nicky’s  paintings are essentially optimistic and uplifting, She achieves this particularly through use of colour, which has such a strong impact on mood and atmosphere. She originally trained as a designer (BA hons Fashion, Central St Martins 1993) and the influence of her love of textiles can be seen in her use of contrasting colours, texture and pattern. Watching her local landscape change over time and through the seasons in all weathers allows her to notice the new and unexpected tree colours created by different light. Stylised, highly textured individual trees have been a constant theme in her work since 2012, they are expressive and often evoke unexpected emotions in a viewer.

Drawing the human figure, trying to capture moments in time and changing light has always run parallel to her other work. Her figure paintings are from life, in mixed media, using multi-layered combinations of collage, ink, paint, and metal leaf, tracking the effects of light across the body using repurposed scraps of paper and studio waste. Fragments of text and patterns that have relevance to the sitter’s own story are often included in the collage. Nicky also uses this process for her exuberant floral still life paintings.

Nicky’s paintings are available from galleries and at art fairs internationally, and she has had ranges of affordable prints licensed to John Lewis and Whistlefish.