Biography
Born in Australia, Nicola now lives and works in Canberra. She attended the Australian National University, completing a Bachelor of Visual Art in 2003 and a PhD in 2010.
Nicola creates detailed paintings on traditional supports and found objects, often installing them with wall painting or wallpaper. Historical images made to document early contact between European voyagers and the people and lands of Australia and the Pacific in the 18th and 19th centuries are of particular interest to her. She works to re-imagine these early encounters with people and place in her paintings, concentrating on engaging with the complex circumstances that surrounded the production and circulation of the initial images. Studying original sources such as illustrations, prints, maps, journals and items of decorative art is an important part of her process. This enables her to directly respond to the stories embedded within these artefacts. In the studio she works to develop methods of quoting and transforming the historical imagery, often by combining it with decorative motifs. This mode of re-presenting historical records creates a space for fresh readings and alternate stories to be told of the past.
Nicola is represented by Beaver Galleries, Canberra.
Yellow Wattlebird and Richea scoparia, 2017, 76 x 111 cm, acrylic and oil on linen
Please contact me if you have any enquiries