Nicki Mayne
Nicki Mayne is a figurative artist based in Sussex, England working in oil paint, gouache, charcoal and pencil. She has a degree in Fine Art Painting from Kingston University and exhibits widely, (including the Royal Academy and Mall Galleries in London). She is a winner of The Artist Exhibition Award at the 2025 TALP Open 2025.
Over the years, Nicki's work has tended to have a personal
connection to her life and the people and places that are important to her. She is inspired by her other employment working with vulnerable people and the importance of connection for one's mental health. She is currently exploring identity and self of self in her self portraits and narrative paintings. Wider themes are the fragility of life, the changing environment and how we connect with the world around us.
She prefers to paint from life wherever possible, as she finds she has a more intuitive and authentic approach to what she is seeing. She often makes gouache sketches to test out compositional ideas in small scale before working in oils. Her paintings start with a gestural line drawing in paint, followed by a succession of painterly layers. She continues to refine the underlying drawing whilst focusing on capturing subtle colour shifts and luminosity, aiming to paint with a light touch.
Over the years, Nicki's work has tended to have a personal
connection to her life and the people and places that are important to her. She is inspired by her other employment working with vulnerable people and the importance of connection for one's mental health. She is currently exploring identity and self of self in her self portraits and narrative paintings. Wider themes are the fragility of life, the changing environment and how we connect with the world around us.
She prefers to paint from life wherever possible, as she finds she has a more intuitive and authentic approach to what she is seeing. She often makes gouache sketches to test out compositional ideas in small scale before working in oils. Her paintings start with a gestural line drawing in paint, followed by a succession of painterly layers. She continues to refine the underlying drawing whilst focusing on capturing subtle colour shifts and luminosity, aiming to paint with a light touch.
Exhibitions and Awards
2026
Art on a Postcard (AOAP) - International Women's Day 2026 auction, The Bomb Factory Holborn, London.
2025
Winner The Artist Exhibition Award at the 2025 TALP Open for 'Self Portrait with Curly Hair' The Artist and Leisure Painter Open Exhibition.
Art for Youth, Mall Galleries
The Artists Collection, Patching Art Centre
Artwave exhibition - Paddock Art Studios, Lewes
Raspberry Surprize, Fiveways Open House, Brighton,
TALP2025, Patchings Art Centre
2024
Artwave exhibition - Paddock Art Studios, Lewes
Rotunda Cafe, Preston Park, Brighton
The Society of Women Artists, Mall Galleries, London,
Raspberry Surprize, Fiveways Open House, Brighton,
Art on a Postcard exhibition - Auction for Warchild,
Open 23, Worthing Museum and Art Gallery, Worthing
Volunteer Stewarts Choice Winner, Open 23, Worthing Museum and Art Gallery, Worthing
2023
Royal Academy Summer exhibition, London
Raspberry Surprize, Fiveways Open House, Brighton
The Society of Women Artists, Mall Gallaries, London
2022
The Sussex Contemporary 2022,
Hand on HeArt exhibition, 35 North Gallery, Brighton,
Artwave exhibition - Paddock Art Studios, Lewes,
2021
Royal Society of British Artists annual exhibition, Mall Galleries, London
2020
Artwave - online exhibition - Paddock Art Studios,
2019
Artwave, Paddock Art Studios, Lewes
Raspberry Surprize, Fiveways Open House, Brighton
2016
Open 16, Worthing Museum and Art Gallery, Worthing
Stride Open Art Competition, Oxmarket Centre of Art, Chichester
Hop Gallery, Lewes, Open Exhibition
Paddock Road Studios, Lewes, Artwave
1990s
Coopers Gallery, Bristol, Women from Planet Art exhibition1994
Watermans Gallery, London, Territory group show 1990
Kingston University, London, Degree Show 1990
Education:
Kingston University, Fine Art Painting 1990
Cyprus School of Art Summer School 1990
Reigate College of Art BTEC 1987
Teaching:
Art Community Education Tutor, Bristol 1993-1995
Visiting Tutor, University of the West of England, Bristol (Foundation Course) 1993-1994
2026
Art on a Postcard (AOAP) - International Women's Day 2026 auction, The Bomb Factory Holborn, London.
2025
Winner The Artist Exhibition Award at the 2025 TALP Open for 'Self Portrait with Curly Hair' The Artist and Leisure Painter Open Exhibition.
Art for Youth, Mall Galleries
The Artists Collection, Patching Art Centre
Artwave exhibition - Paddock Art Studios, Lewes
Raspberry Surprize, Fiveways Open House, Brighton,
TALP2025, Patchings Art Centre
2024
Artwave exhibition - Paddock Art Studios, Lewes
Rotunda Cafe, Preston Park, Brighton
The Society of Women Artists, Mall Galleries, London,
Raspberry Surprize, Fiveways Open House, Brighton,
Art on a Postcard exhibition - Auction for Warchild,
Open 23, Worthing Museum and Art Gallery, Worthing
Volunteer Stewarts Choice Winner, Open 23, Worthing Museum and Art Gallery, Worthing
2023
Royal Academy Summer exhibition, London
Raspberry Surprize, Fiveways Open House, Brighton
The Society of Women Artists, Mall Gallaries, London
2022
The Sussex Contemporary 2022,
Hand on HeArt exhibition, 35 North Gallery, Brighton,
Artwave exhibition - Paddock Art Studios, Lewes,
2021
Royal Society of British Artists annual exhibition, Mall Galleries, London
2020
Artwave - online exhibition - Paddock Art Studios,
2019
Artwave, Paddock Art Studios, Lewes
Raspberry Surprize, Fiveways Open House, Brighton
2016
Open 16, Worthing Museum and Art Gallery, Worthing
Stride Open Art Competition, Oxmarket Centre of Art, Chichester
Hop Gallery, Lewes, Open Exhibition
Paddock Road Studios, Lewes, Artwave
1990s
Coopers Gallery, Bristol, Women from Planet Art exhibition1994
Watermans Gallery, London, Territory group show 1990
Kingston University, London, Degree Show 1990
Education:
Kingston University, Fine Art Painting 1990
Cyprus School of Art Summer School 1990
Reigate College of Art BTEC 1987
Teaching:
Art Community Education Tutor, Bristol 1993-1995
Visiting Tutor, University of the West of England, Bristol (Foundation Course) 1993-1994