Cornish artist Nick Williams creates contemporary figurative oil paintings that are rich in colour, texture and atmosphere. His work is known for drawing viewers into immersive visual worlds where the surface of the painting is as important as the image itself.
Williams develops some individual paintings over months and even years. His distinctive technique involves building up heavy layers of impasto paint, sanding them back and reworking the surface until the artwork gains a robust, tactile quality. This process gives his paintings a strong physical presence.
His influences include Vuillard, Velázquez, Van Gogh, Vermeer, Anselm Kiefer, Paula Rego and Peter Doig. From these varied sources, Williams has developed a personal style that combines traditional figurative painting with elements of magic realism, creating scenes that feel familiar while also carrying a dreamlike sense of mystery.
Based in Cornwall, Williams continues to work from his garden studio, where his surroundings inspire paintings filled with colour, imagination and atmosphere. His independent path as a self-taught artist has helped shape a highly recognisable body of work that continues to engage viewers and collectors.
