Nicky Knowles RWA British, b. 1970
Nicky Knowles was born in London in 1970. Raised in Cambridgeshire, she familiarised herself from an early age with mid century British painting and the St Ives school of artists through Jim Ede's collection at Kettles Yard in Cambridge.
In 1991, after completing her Art Foundation Nicky left Cambridge for Bristol UWE to study Fine Art. During this time she created atmospheric works in oil and wax, rich in mark making and inspired by the Fen landscapes of her childhood. On leaving art college Nicky won the RWA young painters award and was approached by a number of galleries who exhibited her work across the UK and Europe. In 2008 Nicky moved to Frome to bring up her young family where for two years she was Director at Black Swan Arts returning to her studio full time in 2014.
Nicky works intuitively, putting down colour, marks and shapes in paint and paper aiming to create an image of balance and unity.
"My collages explore a dialogue between paint and paper. They reflect a process of lyrical play with cut and torn forms from new and heavily worked materials which I distress using wax and paint. I love the process of distressing the paper and canvas before I start to collage and then incorporating these historic materials alongside new paper or a cleanly painted surface. There is a tension between the new and the old and the balancing of the shapes that I find beautiful and endlessly fascinating."
Nicky's collage work echoes the mid century British art scene that she so admires but she has also developed her own distinguishable style which is both strong in its confident use of scale, mark making and lyrical composition.
-
Nicky Knowles RWAAbstract Horse, 2022painted steel32.5 x 39 x 20cm
-
Nicky Knowles RWAThe Family, 2022painted steel29 x 25 x 8cm
-
Nicky Knowles RWACornish Bay Icollage on board15 x 25cm
-
Nicky Knowles RWACornish Bay IIcollage on board15 x 25cm
-
Nicky Knowles RWAEye Spycollage on board45 x 38cm
-
Nicky Knowles RWAGreen Wa Icollage on board10 x 16cm
-
Nicky Knowles RWAGreen Wa IIcollage on board10 x 16cm
-
Nicky Knowles RWAHaven Icollage on board10 x 16cm
-
Nicky Knowles RWAHaven IIcollage on board10 x 16cm
-
Nicky Knowles RWAHaven IIIcollage on board10 x 16cm
-
Nicky Knowles RWAKei IVcollage on board10 x 16cm
-
Nicky Knowles RWAPirouette in Red Icollage on board26 x 36cm
-
Nicky Knowles RWARed Kei Icollage on board10 x 16cm
-
Nicky Knowles RWATraveller and Her Horsecollage on board25cm x 33cm
-
Nicky Knowles RWATravellers with Horsecollage on board25 x 33cm
-
Nicky Knowles RWAWinter Blue IIcollage on board30 x 24cm