Details
| First Name | Nicky |
| Username | nickysanderson |
| Website | |
| Region | Edinburgh & The Lothians |
| Disciplines | Drawing, Illustration, Painting, Printmaking |
| Themes | Abstract, Environment, Landscape, Site-specific, Narratives |
Statement
| Statement | My current practice is an investigation of the intertidal zone, the coastal environment and the wide range of species dependent on the sea found around the Scottish coasts. Having been encouraged by mentoring from the Society of Scottish Artists, I delved deeper into the ideas I was already exploring with regard to climate change as manifested in the sea. I am particularly interested in the work being done to re-wild the seas and increase carbon sequestration. This has led me to a continuing study of my home coast of Portobello and of seaweed, seagrass and oysters in the Firth of Forth and beyond. I have made a series of screenprints on a small scale, initially as experiments, as an expression of my anxiety for the health of my local coastal ecology. They have gradually become a body of work representing a celebration of the resilience of both the coastal environment and the resident species there. As part of the process, I found that printing onto tissue paper gave an extra dimension to the fragility of the subject matter. I have presented these images between sheets of perspex to allow the light to play with them as they change depending on whether viewed in daylight or electric light, much as light falls through water. By training and inclination I am a printmaker, but always alert to other methods to achieve the depth of meaning and material substance I seek. Direct interaction with soil, sea, plants and algae is an integral part of my practice and can manifest in hangings on muslin or paper, hand-made collaged papers, or combined with paint on canvas and paper. The work is revealed in layers of colour and surface texture. |
Biography
| Biography | My studio is at Coburg House Studios and Gallery in Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland. Member of Edinburgh Printmakers, Professional Member of Visual Arts Scotland Upcoming events 2025 April – September – Invited artist in Isle of May Lighthouse, Firth of Forth. June – Echoes of Place, new prints of land and sea, group of 4 artists for Live Borders at Halliwell’s House Museum, Selkirk. SELECTED EXHIBITIONS 2024 Dòchas/Hope, Edinburgh Printmakers Members’ show Scottish Arts Club, Edinburgh, solo show Winter Printmaking Exhibition at the Whitehouse Gallery, Kirkcudbright 2023 Edinburgh Printmakers members’ show – Journey Connect + Grow , Cass Art, Glasgow, exhibition of SSA members from the Peer Mentoring Programme 2022-23 Invited artist at Porto & Fi, Newhaven, Edinburgh 4 Stories, 4 artists show at Coburg House Gallery, Edinburgh (including Mary Walters SSA, Jacqueline Higgs SSA) Art House in Artwork Porty, Edinburgh Tidelines, 2 Person Show at Whitespace Gallery, Edinburgh (with Laura Magliveras) 2022 Kinship – Edinburgh Printmakers Members’ Show Small is Beautiful, small works show, Coburg House Art Gallery Art House in Artwalk Porty, Portobello, Edinburgh 5 Person Show at Coburg House Art Gallery 2021 Uig Open, on line exhibition, curated by Hulabhaig, Isle of Lewis. 3 Person Show ‘Perspectives from Home’ at Whitehouse Gallery, Kirkcudbright 2020 FLOW Visual Arts Scotland 2019 Encompassed, New Work, Group show at The Union Gallery, Edinburgh, featuring paintings and collages inspired by recent travel in Myanmar 2018 Distilled, Group show at the Art Club Gallery, Edinburgh Art Walk Porty, artist house Deluge, Group Show at Edinburgh Printmakers 2017 A Land Unfolding, Coburg House Art Gallery, Edinburgh Festival group show with Encompassed Winter Exhibition, The Meffan, Forfar 2009 – to date Coburg House Gallery, Leith, Edinburgh: Christmas Shows and Open Studios twice yearly 2013 The Steading Gallery, Kelso 1995 Aberdeen Art Gallery Gray’s School of Art Former Students 1985 – 1986 Galería Tlalpuente, Mexico City 1984 Greenwich Theatre Art Gallery, London, solo show 1984 Anglo Mexican Institute, London, solo show 1983 Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh, solo show 1982 Instituto de Bellas Artes, Mexico City, solo show 1980 The Henderson Gallery, Edinburgh COLLECTIONS Work in the collection of Art in Healthcare, Scotland And in many private British collections including: Colin Sutherland, Lord Carloway, formerly Lord President of the Court of Session and Lord Justice General of Scotland Estate of Alistair Darling, Lord Darling of Roulanish Sir Mark Jones, formerly director of the Victoria & Albert Museum Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen Work in private collections in Spain and Mexico AWARDS & RESIDENCIES 2022 – 23 Admitted to the SSA Peer Mentoring Scheme, funded by Creative Scotland 2007 Painting Residency at Catterline, ‘The Watchie’ studio 1981 – 1982 1 year Bursary from Mexican Government to study Experimental Printmaking in Mexico City 1976 Painting prize visit to San Gimigniano, Tuscany ACADEMIC RESUMÉ 2016 – 2017 Critical Professional Development course, Leith School of Art 1994 – 1996 Calligraphy studies, Edinburgh College of Art 1979 – 1981 Postgraduate 2 year Higher Diploma in Fine Art (Printmaking), Slade School of Fine Art, London 1975 – 1979 Diploma in Art (Printmaking), Gray’s School of Art, Aberdeen TEACHING EXPERIENCE Currently employed as tutor for Wild at Art Ltd. 2015 – 2022
2004 – 2010 Joint director of a small art tourism business called artEscapes. This involved organising accommodation and itineraries as well as art tutoring/ demonstrating abroad and in the UK, often with a strong historical or cultural connection. 1995 – 2006 Teacher of Art (drawing & painting and calligraphy) in Community Education (20 hours per week class contact time September to May) for Edinburgh City Council 2002 – 2003 Summer Course art teacher at George Watson’s College, Edinburgh
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