Nicole Duyst’s creative roots stretch between the lush tropics of Far North Queensland and the wild, dramatic landscapes of Tasmania. Growing up surrounded by the vibrant colour and intensity of Queensland’s rainforests, reefs, and monsoon skies, Nicole developed a deep affinity with nature’s cycles of abundance and renewal. Later, Tasmania’s rugged mountains, shifting seasons, and delicate light brought a contrasting palette and rhythm to her work, grounding her practice in a profound appreciation of place. Nicole’s works drift between abstraction, expressionism, and whimsy — bound together by a tactile sense of wonder. Her paintings evoke immersion in natural landscapes, a deep connection with animals, nostalgia and a quiet longing for beauty.
Nicole’s paintings are more than depictions of scenery. Each piece reflects an intimate dialogue with the environment, blending memory, intuition, and emotion to capture the quiet energies that exist beyond the visible world. Her work evoke transformation and connection. Nicole’s artwork often drifts into the realm of myth and memory, where lost worlds and imagined creatures linger alongside the animals of our living landscapes. Her pieces carry a sense of wonder and mystery, inviting the viewer to wander as though through a natural space where the boundaries between the real and the imagined blur, and every form—whether familiar or fantastical—seems to hold a story waiting to be uncovered.
Nicole's work features in private and public collections throughout Australia and internationally.