REBOOT : REFRESH

Nick’s work has primarily focused on portraiture and figurative painting, driven by a deep interest in colour and light theory and how these elements translate into physical paint. He considers himself a drawer first and a painter second, with drawing forming the foundation of his practice.

Through collage, Nick explores sunlight and perspective using colour, often incorporating small portraits of people he knows. In this process, scissors become his pencil, offering a tactile and intuitive way to investigate spatial relationships and light.

Since 2018, Nick has led the Portfolio Course at Quay Arts, collaborating with talented tutors and artists from the Isle of Wight and further afield. Teaching has always run alongside his studio practice. His teaching career began as Artist in Residence at Brighton Pavilion and has included roles at Brighton Foundation, Northbrook College, and Roehampton University.

He has run the Life Drawing course and summer school programmes at Quay Arts since 2012. During the COVID-19 lockdown, he launched online Zoom courses in portrait painting and general painting, expanding his reach to a wider audience.

Nick’s work is regularly exhibited at the Royal Society of Portrait Painters at the Mall Galleries in London.

Caroline Underwood is an Artist Teacher with over 20 years’ experience in Fine Art and art education. Since relocating from London to Carisbrooke in 2016, she has produced large-scale black and white works inspired by the sea, sky, and landscape. Alongside her studio practice, Caroline teaches across a wide range of settings, working with both adults and children on educational and community art projects. Formerly a post-16 tutor in London, she now runs adult education courses both online and in person, including at Quay Arts, where she teaches watercolour, charcoal, life drawing, and leads Youth Art sessions. She holds a BA in Fine Art from Chelsea College of Art, a PGCE from London Arts Consortium, and an MA from City & Guilds of London Art School. Her past residencies include UCA and Goldsmiths, where she was also a Visiting Tutor on the MA Artist Teacher and Contemporary Practices course.

Karen Mead is an artist printmaker who is fascinated by the changing role of women as they age; how they define themselves and how they are perceived. She has an MA in Multi-Disciplinary Printmaking from UWE Bristol and her practice covers a range of printerly mediums, mainly lino print, monoprint and etching. Her figurative work often features humorous and ambiguous narratives and is always anchored in a tradition of drawing.
Tutoring the portfolio group is a chance to share the many possibilities of the printmaking world to new audiences regardless of abilities. Karen is a passionate enthusiast keen for everyone to experience and embrace the ‘AH HA!’ Moment when a new print is revealed.

I am activist artist based on the Isle of Wight fighting for themes such as community, what community means, challenging gate keepers and their own agendas, poverty, LGBTQIA+, and mental health. I refuse to be pigeonholed and invite others to dance to their own music.  

I am a multimedia artist, spanning painting and textiles, sculpture, performance, artist’s books. My work varies in size and time but it has been said that my work has a unique aesthetic, roughly hewn, that is fairly consistent throughout my work. I am lucky enough to exhibit on the island, Portsmouth, Southampton, Winchester, New Forest, Brighton and London. I am current winner of Quay Art’s Open ‘Soft’ and recipient of bursaries and commissions.

I love the idea of giving back, hopefully inspiring others to march to their own tune or at least to find tunes that excite, inspire and interest. And sharing my knowledge, skills and approaches to work (or lack of!).