VIEW PROFILE: Tim Nicholson

Exhibition to feature Tim’s lifelong work

WEST Dorset artist Tim Nicholson is in the final fortnight of his exhibition at West Bay - Retrospective 1955 – 2010. Born into a successful family of artists, Tim has successfully made a name for himself to continue the Nicholson legacy. Former curator of the Tate Gallery Richard Morphet writes about Tim in the foreword of his current exhibition saying: “Tim Nicholson’s personal sense of colour and liveliness of observation yield images of delight, imbued with the Nicholson family aesthetic.” Tim reveals to the View From how his latest exhibition was crafted over half a century.

BORN at the start of the war in 1939 to the hugely influential Nicholson family, Tim was thrust into the world of art and clearly nurtured his talents of today.

His work shines with the bold, fresh and playful ability to reduce his subjects to an essential simplicity, which is so distinctive of the Nicholson’s.

While never unconfident of his talent, since his last solo show in 1990 at the Michael Parkin Gallery in London, he has been more interested in showing in groups with his many artist friends.

This latest exhibition is a return to solo showing gathering pictures from throughout his life, in a major selling exhibition of an artist who deserves much wider recognition.

The exhibition includes around 50 works, from the very large to the very small, at least half of which have never before been shown, with prices ranging from £250 to £6,000.

Tim was raised in Cranborne where he now chooses to work as an artist.

With his father away at war his mother, EQ Nicholson, a talented fabric designer and artist herself, raised him.

Making sure that Tim was immersed in the company of artists, Tim’s family was joined by 17-year-old artist John Craxton throughout the war years.

John and EQ painted everything that was around them creating a strong sense of place which undoubtedly influenced Tim, who has continued to make this an important element of his work to this day.

When Tim’s father Kit returned from the war he went back to work as a modernist architect in London, coming home to his family for weekends.

With his father away for much of his childhood, in the war effort and then at work in London, Tim did not know much of his father when he died in a gliding accident in 1948 when Tim was only nine-years-old.

Kit’s brother, Ben Nicholson was a good friend to EQ but not especially close to his nephew.

The painter William Nicholson was Tim’s grandfather but sadly he suffered from senility in his old age and never really knew Tim.

Despite all these important figures having little contact with Tim, along with Winifed Nicholson and Christopher Wood, consciously and unconsciously they have had a lasting influence on him which is clearly evident in his paintings.

Tim went to Port Regis School in Dorset and then to Bryanston on an art scholarship.

There he spent all his time in the art room with the children of a number of other well-known artists who happened to be his classmates at the time.

They were allowed a free hand and spurred each other on, painting, drawing and experimenting.

After a false start studying Zoology and Biology at Trinity College Dublin, Tim went to the Architectural Association.

Not one to follow the herd, he found he “had far less grand taste. One likes things like cigarette cards”.

Nevertheless he practised as an architect until 1980 when a cycling accident left him very weak.

As he recovered Tim amused himself by drawing and by the time he was better he had decided he needed to be an artist.

Solo shows in London in1985 at the Charlotte Lampard Gallery and in 1990 at the Michael Parkin Gallery have been followed by group shows in London and Dorset.

Never unconfident about his own ability, he has been reluctant to part with his work in the past leaving him able to bring his latest exhibition to West Bay.

In 2008 Tim suffered a minor stroke. Throughout his recovery he received excellent support from those around him, particualrly Catherine Row, an artist and family friend who helped and encouraged him to start to paint again.

In 2009 Tim and Catherine were married. It is with Catherine’s encouragement that Tim is undertaking his retrospective exhibition at Sladers Yard.

Retrospective is a collection of Tim’s art inspired by patterns, children’s books, cards, pictures of birds and animals, using bold witty and youthful colour which is a trademark of his work.

Tim said: “I like making up rules and seeing if they work, then adjusting the rules, putting colours next to each other.”

To view Tim’s work visit www.sladersyard.co.uk or see it in person at Sladers Yard until May 16th.

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