Nicole Nelius
New South Wales-based artist Nicole Nelius paints magical still life works of fruit and flower sculptural compositions – her effervescent personality transferred from each brushstroke onto the canvas.
Words & Photography: Hande Renshaw
‘The style of my home is very eclectic and lived in. I love mixing up styles and eras, old and new. Most of what I own has been in my family for years, found at second-hands shops or the side of the road!,’ says Nicole Nelius. Photo: Hande Renshaw
Inspirational cards and photos line the walls of Nicole Nelius' studio walls. Photo: Hande Renshaw
‘I gather inspiration everywhere – my eyes are always looking past the obvious details,’ says Nicole Nelius. Photo: Hande Renshaw
‘Ever since I bought my first work of original art, I haven’t been able to stop. I’m obsessed with my thrift store treasures, handmade ceramics and art collection.’ Photo: Hande Renshaw
New South Wales-based artist and stylist, Nicole Nelius, has been creative for as long as she can remember, continually gravitating towards expressing herself through art and creativity.
‘I’ve been creative since I was small – always erring on the side of colourful and what feels most fun,’ shares Nicole, ‘I would often be home on the weekends rearranging my room in high school, which my friends who just wanted to hang out could never understand!’ she adds.
Today, creative inspiration still runs strong in every aspect of Nicole’s life; whether it’s being out in nature, flipping through magazines, scrolling Instagram or watching a movie. ‘My husband makes fun of me because most movies I watch I can barely follow the story, as I’m commenting on something in the background,’ she shares.
After many years styling, it was while Nicole had extreme morning sickness with her second son that she decided to take a painting course at the National Art School in Sydney as a form of distraction – and she hasn’t looked back.
‘Styling lends itself to my eye for still life compositions and my degree in art history and theory has surely influenced my way with colour and form. What starts as a meditative practice of making a pretty picture (often with leftover fruit from a styling job), ends up being a photographic print and eventually a painting, or even a mixed media melding of the two.’
Nicole’s incredibly pretty paintings and photography are joyful and sweet, immortalising still life scenes of fruit and flowers, usually stacked high in sculptural formations, ‘It’s what I’m most often drawn to – I’m not sure what it is, but maybe it’s something from the everyday that we can all relate to? Nature is a constant for everyone. I’m certainly not alone in being drawn to fruit, flora and natural ephemera. The Dutch Masters were onto something!’
Having recently moved to regional New South Wales, Nicole now works from her little garden studio. Her home is full of memorable art and pieces she has collected throughout the years, ‘Ever since I bought my first work of original art, I have not been able to stop. I’m obsessed with my thrift store treasures, handmade ceramics and art collection,’ she says.
‘The style of my home is very eclectic and lived in. I love mixing up styles and eras, old and new. Most of what I own has been in my family for years, found at second-hands shops or the side of the road!’ she adds.
The rest of this year is set to be busy for Nicole, with a few exciting collaborations in the making, ‘I’m excited to share more when the time is right – I’m also daydreaming about a few more ideas that are in the very early development stages.’
Shop Nicole’s work online here, she is also part of our second Art Folk exhibition, online here.
Nicole Nelius in her garden studio. Photo: Hande Renshaw
Frosty Fruit I & Frosty Fruit II by Nicole Nelius are both currently available through Art Folk! Photo: Hande Renshaw
‘I’m very proud of my two works currently hanging at Art Folk – I love the unique colours and the composition is an old favourite of mine,’ says Nicole Nelius. Photo: Hande Renshaw
Keanu by Nicole Nelius. Photo: Hande Renshaw
“Selling my first few works ever felt so surreal –it’s all been so encouraging. If anything, the feedback to my work has been a big reason to keep pushing and evolving. Any time someone chooses to purchase something for their walls, I’m blown away.”
‘Ever since I bought my first work of original art, I haven’t been able to stop. I’m obsessed with my thrift store treasures, handmade ceramics and art collection.’ Photo: Hande Renshaw
‘What starts as a meditative practice of making a pretty picture (often with leftover fruit from a styling job), ends up being a photographic print and eventually a painting, or even a mixed media melding of the two.’ Photo: Hande Renshaw