Professional Artist David Nicholls

Artist, Sculptor and owner of White Stones Art Café

David works from his studio in Portland producing unique hand finished sculpture in a variety of materials. Sculpture over the years has ranged from one off hand carved original pieces in stone and wood and small editions cast in bronze and aluminium to large pieces for a garden setting. His work encompasses themes such as growth, vitality and nature using carving, modelling and casting techniques whilst exploring a diverse variety of materials. After a trip to Barcelona many years back David’s work took on a whole new direction. Inspired by the masterful architectural work of Anton Gaudi David’s work took on a whole new direction. He had already been using found objects combined with clay to make cast textural reliefs but by using a combination of mixed Tesserae, ranging from glass tiles and Dismantled costume jewellery to broken ceramic tiles and semi precious stones. He delights in repurposing objects that would normally be stuck in a drawer for years or end up thrown away. You could say David is hooked on this ancient form of art and the beauty of Mosaic.

Since graduating in 2001 he has exhibited extensively around the country. His growing reputation in high quality work producing abstract sculpture has earned David various public and private commissions; one of which was for Dorset County Council.

Recent work represents a new direction in his artistic language. As well as direct carving or sculpting in three dimensional form he is exploring the idea of sculpting textured relief's and integrating found objects within the work. David hopes to produce work that is tactile, visual, stimulating to human senses and works in harmony with its surroundings.

Red Orb Sculpture Exhibition

David's Art Commissions:

• Cover art for poetry anthology 'Further within Darkness & Light' by Nothing Books

• Shell mosaic relief private commission April 2018

• Large female nude 3D mosaic relief September 2017

• Mosaic double heart relief, Portland, Aug 2015

• Large abstract mosaic relief panel, Portland, Dec 2015

• Dorset Arts Week mixed exhibition, White Stones Cafe Gallery, Portland, 2016

• Sensorary water sculpture, Ridgeway Centre, Weymouth, Nov 2002

• Cast aluminum sculpture, Sticklands School, Evershot, Jan 2002

• Cast aluminum sculptural commission for Dorset County Council, May 2001

• Various private commissions, 2002 and ongoing

David's Exhibitions:

• 2017 and ongoing exhibitions at White Stones Art Cafe.

• Dorset Arts Week mixed exhibition, White Stones Cafe Gallery, Portland, 2016

• Bournemouth University - The art of making: handcrafted and traditional skills. February-December 2013, BU art Loan Collection 2013

• Red Orb Sculpture Exhibition, Leeson House, Langton Matravers, Swanage, 2012

• Earthbound II, White Stones Café Gallery, Portland, June 2006

• Earthbound, Bridport Arts Centre, March 2006

• Art Trail, Weymouth, Oct 2004

• 'Art One', Mulberry Gallery, Weymouth, Sept 2004

• Old Warehouse Gallery, Dorchester, March 2004

• Art Loan Collection, Bournemouth University, 2003/2004

• A C Gallery, Bournemouth, Dorset, April 2003 - Jan 2004

• Stansted Park, Hampshire, March 2003 - Feb 2004

• Roffey Park Institute, West Sussex, May 2003

• Polesden Lacey, Surrey, June 2003

• Atrium Gallery, Bournemouth University, Dec 2002

• Labour of Love, Blandford, Dorset, Nov 2002

• Vivartis, Witley, Surrey, Sept 2002

• Art et Jardin, Langham Fine Art, Bury St Edmunds, Sep 2002

• Denbies Wine Estate, Dorking, Surrey, Aug 2002

• The Third Dimension, riverhouse, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, July 2002

• Summer Open 2002, South West Academy of Fine & Applied Arts, Exeter, June 2002

• Sculpture in the Garden, Kingston Lacy House, Wimbourne, June 2002

• Gants Mill, Bruton, Somerset, May 2002

• Old Warehouse Gallery, Dorchester, Oct 2001

• Weymouth Loves Art, Weymouth Arts Centre, Aug 2001

• Chapel Gallery, Cranford, July 2001

• Shell Like, solo exhibition, Mulberry Gallery, Weymouth, April 2001

• Giants, exhibition at Dorchester County Museum, May 2000

• Shout, group exhibition 1999

Bibliography

• Review: March 2005, 'Society' Magazine.

• Review: June 2004, Dorset Echo.

• Article: 'The Shape Of Things To Come'- 6th Dec 2003, Dorset Echo Magazine.

• Review: Dec 2003, 'Society' Magazine. Oct 2003, Bournemouth Gazette.

• Article: 7th Nov 2002, Western Gazette. 30th May 2002, Western Gazette.

• Article: March 2002, Dorset Echo.

• Article: March 2002, Blackmoor Vale. Feb 2002, 'Roots & Shoots', HTV television.

• Article: Feb 2002, Western Gazette.

• Review: Dec 2001, 'Society' Magazine. September 2001, 'The Sticks' Issue 5.

• Review: Aug 30th 2001, Dorset Echo.

• Review: 21st July 2001, Dorset Echo.

• Article: 'Art Works', April 2001, Dorset Echo Magazine. April 5th 2001, Western Gazette.

• Review: April 3rd 2001, Dorset Echo. March 17th 2001, Dorset Echo.

• Article: Oct 28th 2000, Dorset Echo Magazine.

Here are some examples of some of David's unique mosaic creations