Nickola has been painting for about 15 years, on and off, and art has always been at the forefront of her thoughts, even before she picked up a paintbrush.

“I have always had a very active imagination. I loved drawing the things I saw in my dreams. I enjoyed the feelings that colours evoked in me,” she said.

While living in Cornwall in the South West of England, Nickola saw a different world and, even though she was inspired by what she saw around her, her thoughts were transported across the sea to Cayman.

Although she enjoyed her time in Cornwall, Nickola found herself missing her home in Cayman and her series of paintings ‘Bygone Cayman’ emerged from that longing.

“This series - “Bygone Cayman” - is a trip down memory lane for me. I longed for the feeling of home so I tried to capture that in paintings. I created a little piece of Cayman to keep me company,” she said.

Having since returned home, she has sold many of the paintings and those that remain unsold are open to viewing at the Morgan Gallery. They depict a variety of scenes that encapsulate various elements of traditional Cayman life, captured in vivid colour.

“My works are a reflection of the vitality and the power of colour to evoke emotions in people. I like to know what people feel when they look at my work, whether it is a favorable emotion or not,” Nickola said.

Drawing on the whole world around her for ideas and inspiration, Nickola has produced some impressive work. “I am inspired by everything around me - the colours of life, past memories and, most of all, my imagination. My life experiences also influence my work tremendously,” Nickola said.

Nickola said she has been greatly influenced by her middle school teacher, Lorna Reid, who she describes as an excellent artist and person. She has also been influenced by some of the great masters of colour. “I do love Picasso and Kandinsky - I believe that their love for the vibrancy of colour is very evident,” said Nickola.

According to Nickola, many of those who know her have been taken aback by her most recent series, as they are more accustomed to her abstract work. She said she has not abandoned her love of abstract art - she has simply been exploring with her palette and has journeyed into a different field.

“The ‘Bygone Cayman’ series has been an interesting experiment and reactions have been mixed, but generally they have been well-received,” she said.

The ‘Bygone Cayman’ series, along with some of Nickola’s abstract work, can be viewed at the Morgan Gallery in the Treasure Island complex on West Bay Road.