Nicki Mayne
Nicki Mayne is a figurative artist based in Sussex, England, working in oil paint and gouache. She has a degree in Fine Art Painting from Kingston University and exhibits nationally. Group exhibitions include the Mall Galleries and Royal Academy, Patchings Art Centre, Worthing Museum and the Sussex Contemporary. She exhibits annually with Artwave in Lewes and the Open House Festival in Brighton and is a member of the Paddock Road Studios in Lewes. Nicki is a winner of The Artist Exhibition Award at the 2025 TALP Open 2025.
Artist Statement
Nicki Mayne’s work has a personal connection to her life and the people and places that are important to her. She is inspired by her job working with vulnerable people and the importance of connection for one's mental health.
The natural world and how we connect with the world around us is a major theme in her work. She paints from life as much as possible to capture moments in time and explore the changing environment around her. A wider theme is the fragility of life and she has been exploring identity and sense of self in her series of self-portraits, following a period of ill health, which celebrates the ageing process.
She primarily paints from life as she finds she has a more intuitive approach to her work, and uses this as a basis for the painting, which can develop using her imagination and photographic references. Her paintings combine figures and objects in a dreamlike space creating a believable world.
Her process is to start with a line drawing from observation, followed by a succession of painterly layers to build up a believable pictorial space. Nicki likes to work loosely, changing compositional elements depending on what the painting needs. She aims to paint with a light touch to capture subtle colour shifts and luminosity in her work. She works primarily in oil paint, but has been using gouache for quicker sketches and on location.
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