First light over McLaren Vale

This work is inspired by a painting by Claude Monet showing the lonely magpie but, instead of a snowy scene, it looks over McLaren Vale at sunrise. The prominent tree is mostly in shadow as the first light illuminates only the top of the branches. The background is lit up against the foreground that is still in shadow, apart from thin streaks of light on the grass. This indicates that the sun is rising behind the viewer. The colours of this painting are much informed by my on-location studies (en plein air painting).

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Nic employs a contemporary impressionist technique that blends traditional and experimental paint application. Nic’s art focuses on interpreting marine life, as well as the Australian landscape.

Currently, two galleries show his paintings: The Montville Art Gallery in Queensland and the ArtworX Gallery in Goolwa. He is also a management committee member of the Adelaide Art Society.

In South Africa, he had previously exhibited and sold artworks at prestigious venues, such as The Green Gallery in Mount Edgecombe, The Gallery at the Lifestyle Centre in Ballito, Makiwa Gallery in Umhlanga, and the DUT Art Gallery. In 2021, Nic was featured on the cover and had an eight-page spread in the South African Artist magazine. In 2023, he won First Prize at the Campbelltown Art Show and a Merit Award at the Royal South Australian Society of Arts winter exhibition. In September 2024, Nic graduated from a PhD in visual arts where a series of paintings explore the role of art in sea turtle conservation. This year, Nic received a Highly Commended Award at the Victor Harbor Art Show, was a finalist for the Adelaide Park Lands Art Prize, and was the featured artist in the Adelaide Art Society’s autumn exhibition. Nevertheless, his unwavering focus remains on depicting the interplay of light and subject, utilising techniques reminiscent of the famous impressionists.