about
‘… startling freshness and sincerity… I sense the presence of a serious
painter.’
Brian Sewell, Evening Standard.
Nigel Wood is a painter best known for the lyrical imagary in his landscapes, inspired by the wild and open spaces surrounding Cardigan Bay, where he lives. He is also recognised as a portrait painter working in oil, charcoal, pastel and acrylic.
Solo and group exhibitions in Britain, Europe, America and Australia from 1984 to the present day include:
The National Portrait Gallery, The Royal College of Art Gallery, The Mall Galleries, Galerie Beim Rotenturm, Germany, The Orange Moon Gallery, Vienna and art fairs in London, Amsterdam, Sydney and New York.
Media features include:
BBC TV, Evening Standard, Art Review Magazine, Sunday Express, Sunday Times and inclusion in the book ‘500 Portraits’ published by The National Portrait Gallery.
‘I strive to create poetic interpretations of the surreal beauty that I find in nature.
Each piece is built up gradually over time with a series of opaque layers and transparent glazes on either a gesso panel or a stretched canvas. There is a quiet intensity to the whole process and my hope is that I can create for the viewer an uplifting presence in each piece’.
Detailed biography
1960 Born, Reading
1980 – 84 Trained in illustration at Carmarthenshire College of Art
Exhibitions (selection)
1985 Oriel, Cardiff. Postgraduate group exhibition
1986 Carmarthen Library. Solo exhibition
1987 Art in Action, Oxfordshire. Exhibition and demonstrations
1988 Fountain Fine Art, Llandeilo. Group exhibition
1990 Fountain Fine Art, Llandeilo. Two person exhibition
1992 Galerie Beim, Rotenturm. Germany. Two person exhibition
1993 The National Portrait Gallery. BP Portrait Awards finalist
1993 Theatr Mwldan, Cardigan. Solo exhibition
1993 Oriel Myrddin Gallery, Carmarthen. Group show, ‘People and Beasts’
1993 Taken on by ‘Portrait Commissions’ agency, London
1994 – 95 Royal College of Art and Glynn Vivian Art Gallery. Hunting Art prize.
1994 Carmarthen Library. ‘Art West’ Open exhibition and competition,
1996 The National Portrait Gallery. BP Portrait Awards finalist
1995 – 96 Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Mostyn Art Gallery, Carmarthen Library. Touring exhibition and book, ‘Intimate Portraits’
1995 – 96 Oriel Myrddin Gallery, Fishguard and Pembroke Dock Libraries. Solo touring exhibition.
1996 Martin Tinney Gallery, Cardiff. Group exhibition.
1997 Edith Grove Gallery, London. Group exhibition.
1997 – 07 Open Studio, Solo exhibition.
1997 – 05 Battersea Contemporary Art Fair.
1998 Marks and Spencer, London head office. Group exhibition.
1998 The Mall Galleries. Royal Society of Portrait Painters Exhibition
1999 Artifex Gallery, Sutton Coldfield. Solo exhibition.
2000 – 11 Affordable Art Fair, London.
2001 Henley Exhibition Centre, Two person exhibition.
2002 Will’s Art Warehouse, London Group exhibition.
2003. 54 The Gallery, Mayfair, London. Group exhibition.
2004 Affordable Art Fair Sydney and Melbourne with Will’s Art Warehouse.
2004 Nicholas Bowlby Fine Art. Group exhibition.
2005 – 06 John Noott Galleries. Group exhibition.
2006 Fountain Fine Art, Llandeilo. Solo exhibition.
2007 Artifex Gallery, Sutton Coldfield. Solo exhibition.
2007 Glasgow Art Fair, represented by ‘The Art Movement.’
2008 The Affordable Art Fair, New York with Will’s Art Warehouse.
2008 The National Portrait Gallery. BP Portrait Awards finalist.
2008 Will’s Art Warehouse. Group Exhibition, ‘A Breath of Fresh Air’. Group exhibition.
2008 The Affordable Art Fair, Amsterdam. Represented by Quantum Contemporary Art.
2009 Will’s Art Warehouse, London. Group Exhibition.
2009 The National Portrait Gallery. Portrait Gala exhibition.
2010 Quantum Contemporary Art, London. Group exhibition.
2011 The Affordable Art Fair, London.
2012 The Queens Hall Gallery, Narberth. Solo exhibition.
2012 – 13 The Affordable Art Fair, London.
2013. 54, The Gallery, London. Group exhibition.
2014 The National Portrait Gallery. Portrait Gala Exhibition.
2014 Lloyds Register Atrium Gallery, London. Solo Exhibition ‘Wild Spaces’.
2014 The Affordable Art Fair, London.
2015 54 The Gallery, London. Group exhibition. Two person exhibition
2016 Lloyd.s Register Atrium Gallery, London. Solo exhibition.
2016 The Affordable Art Fair, Hampstead, London.
2017 The Affordable Art Fair, Battersea, London.
2017 King Street Gallery, Carmarthen. Group exhibition.
2017 The National Portrait Gallery. Portrait Gala Exhibition
2017 54, The Gallery, London. Group exhibition.
2017 The Affordable Art Fair, Hampstead, London
2017 The Affordable Art Fair, Battersea, London
2018 Orange Moon Gallery, Vienna. Group exhibition
2018 Fresh Contemporary Art Fair, Cheltenham.
2018 The Affordable Art Fair, Hampstead, London.
2018 Fountain Fine Art, Llandeilo. Solo exhibition
2018 Manchester Art Fair
2018 The Affordable Art Fair, Battersea, London.
2019 Fresh Contemporary Art Fair. Cheltenham.
2019 The Affordable Art Fair, Hampstead. London.
2019 Fresh Contemporary Art Fair. Ascot.
2019 The Affordable Art Fair, Battersea. London.
2020 Lockdown. Online exhibition on website.
MEDIA: Inclusion in book ‘500 Portraits’ published by The National Portrait Gallery, Art Review, Sunday Express, Standard, Western Mail, Carmarthenshire Life, Carmarthen Journal and BBC Regional TV, Inclusion in book ‘Intimate Portraits’ published by Glynn Vivian Art Gallery.
AWARDS: Art West Prize, 1994.
COLLECTIONS: Carmarthenshire County Collection and numerous private collections in Britain and overseas.