Lives and works in Jersey, Channel Islands. 

Nicholas Romeril – Biography (summary)

Nicholas Romeril is a contemporary British artist based in Jersey whose practice explores the intersection of landscape and ecology. His work is deeply informed by travel, environmental immersion, and collaboration with conservation organisations.

While studying at Camberwell College of Arts, Romeril won the Royal Overseas League International Painting Competition travel scholarship, which took him to Mexico. The resulting body of work was exhibited and published by ROSL in St James, London—marking his first major cultural exploration and the beginning of a lifelong commitment to travel and cross-cultural engagement.

After graduating, he established a studio in Brixton, London, sharing space with fellow artists and continuing to print at Artichoke Print Workshop. He exhibited in several London galleries and collaborated with Peter Binnington to create bespoke Verre Églomisé mirrors for the Sultan of Brunei.

Seeking a radical shift from studio life, Romeril spent eight months traveling through Southeast Asia and Australia. Upon returning to Jersey, he founded a new studio and expanded his practice to include painting, sculpture, printmaking, and teaching at Highlands School of Art. Since then, he has held over 30 solo exhibitions and participated in numerous group shows across Jersey, London, Switzerland, France, and the USA.

In 2006, Romeril undertook a self-directed residency on Les Minquiers, a remote archipelago in the Channel Islands. Isolated for two weeks—ten days without visitors—he created 30 paintings that captured the dramatic tidal range and cultivated a profound respect for secluded natural environments.

His museum debut came in 2008 with the exhibition Romantics in the Channel Islands at the Jersey Museum, featuring one of his large-scale oil-on-slate works.

Over the past 15 years, Romeril has contributed extensively to Jersey’s public art landscape through the ‘Percentage for Art’ initiative. His most prestigious work being a bronze sundial titled “Le Temps S’Passe Vite” installed at Jersey’s Government House to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Another notable installation is the ‘The Herd’ which is installed at the Jersey Dairy, Trinity Showground.

In 2018, Romeril was appointed Artist in Residence by the Friends of the Scott Polar Research Institute. Aboard HMS Protector, he journeyed over 3,500 miles across the Antarctic Peninsula, visiting 15 sites of scientific and ecological interest. He produced over 200 artworks, a travel diary, and several virtual reality films. Funded by the Royal Navy and Bonhams Auction House, the residency culminated in six solo exhibitions across Jersey, London, Switzerland, and Ireland, with donated works to FoSPRI, SPRI, and the Royal Navy.

In 2022, Romeril became the first Artist in Residence with Wildlife ACT, a conservation NGO in South Africa. He spent four weeks in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park and ten days in the Drakensberg Mountains studying endangered vultures. His exhibition EYES ON US featured paintings, prints, fragrances, soundscapes, immersive installations, and VR films.

In 2023, he returned to Wildlife ACT for a residency on North Island, Seychelles, where he monitored hatching turtles, studied giant tortoises, removed invasive plant species, and documented marine debris. He created 40 field paintings and additional VR content while participating fully in the volunteer program.

Romeril continues to create paintings, sculptures, prints and immersive experiences for public exhibitions and private homes.

Education

• MA Fine Art (Printmaking), Camberwell College of Art and Design, University of the Arts London (1991–1993)
• BA (Hons) Fine Art (Painting), Camberwell College of Art and Design, University of the Arts London (1988–1991)
• Certificate in Education (Further & Higher Education), University of Southampton (2001)

Employment

• Artist (1987–present) Romeril has maintained an active studio practice for over three decades, producing paintings, prints, sculptures, site-specific installations, and virtual reality films for exhibitions, commissions, and experimental projects. His work is represented by Chris Beetles Gallery (London), Thomas Dutoit Galerie (Switzerland) and Jaro Art Gallery (Jersey)..
• Lecturer in Art & Design, Highlands School of Art, Jersey (1996–2019) Specialised in painting, printmaking, and 2D/3D visual language across foundation and diploma-level courses. Romeril played a key role in curriculum development and mentoring emerging artists.
• Artist and Designer, Peter Binnington, London (1994–1995) Commissioned to design, fabricate, and install 52 bespoke Verre Églomisé mirrors for the Sultan of Brunei’s residence on Park Lane, London.

Solo Exhibitions and notable events.

2025

A year of public speaking and new collaborations

This year opened with a dynamic collaboration between Nicholas Romeril and master ceramicist Ray Ubsdel, resulting in three striking ceramic heads. These works anchor a new series of figurative garden sculptures crafted from recycled materials — a playful yet poignant exploration of form and sustainability.

For the first time, Romeril partnered with Luddite Press to produce two etching editions: one featuring his beloved dog Scribbles, and the other a powerful Clydesdale horse. Both were unveiled at CCA International Gallery, expanding his printmaking repertoire with fresh narrative energy.

Romeril also delivered three public talks, sharing stories from his various residencies:

• At the Scott Polar Museum, Cambridge University, he spoke to the Friends of the Scott Polar Research Institute.
• He presented to the Arts Society Jersey, offering insights into his polar experience and artistic response.
• At the Chancery Rosewood Hotel in London, he showcased his African paintings to clients of Standard Bank, blending art with ecological storytelling.

In collaboration with Jaro Art Gallery, Romeril exhibited 15 paintings in the Jersey group show Domestic Bliss – Happily Anxious and Holding It All Together, alongside celebrated artist Opake. The exhibition transformed a private home in St Brelade into a weekend pop-up gallery, creating an intimate and unconventional viewing experience.

The year concluded with Romeril’s second solo exhibition at Jaro Art Gallery: The North and the West. Featuring 50 new paintings, the show captured the rugged beauty of Jersey’s northern and western coastlines — a meditative tribute to place, light, and memory.

2024

Immersive Exhibitions and Sculptural Collaborations

Three solo exhibitions defined Romeril’s creative trajectory this year, each rooted in ecological observation and painterly exploration:

• The Seychelles and the North Atlantic held at Thomas Dutoit Galerie in Switzerland, this exhibition presented works inspired by Romeril’s 2023 Wildlife ACT Residency in the Seychelles, juxtaposing tropical and temperate marine environments.
• Sunshine and Sea Spray Exhibited at Chris Beetles Gallery, London, this collection featured 43 new paintings capturing Romeril’s intimate excursions around Jersey and the Seychelles, blending plein air immediacy with lyrical abstraction.
• Hidden Depths Hosted by Jaro, Jersey, this show unveiled a series of underwater paintings from the Seychelles residency, inviting viewers into submerged worlds of colour, movement, and ecological nuance.

Beyond the canvas, Romeril expanded his sculptural practice through two public commissions and a private installation:

• In collaboration with master silversmith and son William Romeril, he created a symbolic sculpture for De La Salle College, his former secondary school. The abstracted Jersey Lilly, rendered in vibrant colours and leaf forms, embodies unity and a bright future.
• A second sculpture, installed in August at Clos De Manoir, St Peter, features a metal globe composed of hundreds of round St Peter Parish Crests, each depicting cows on crossed keys, celebrating local heritage and community identity.
• In a private commission, Romeril installed a shimmering ‘fish wall’ composed of polished and painted stainless steel fish shapes, transforming a domestic space into a dynamic aquatic tableau.

2023

Time to Travel and Research

The year began with a journey to North Island in the Seychelles, where Romeril served as artist in residence with Wildlife ACT for a second time. Immersed in conservation work, he monitored hatching turtles, studied Aldabra giant tortoises, removed invasive plant species, and documented marine debris. Alongside these efforts, he produced 40 field paintings and created immersive VR content, fully participating in the volunteer program.

Back in his Jersey studio, Romeril developed a new body of work inspired by the luminous waters of the West Indian Ocean. His paintings explored the chromatic tension between the bottle green of the North Atlantic and the turquoise clarity of the Indian Ocean—an ongoing visual dialogue shaped by memory, ecology, and place.

Romeril installed his Sculpture Splash, Free the Spirit in a high end residential property in Jersey.

Midyear, Romeril was invited by Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust to contribute to Tortoise Takeover, a major fundraising initiative. His sculpture, a painted hare titled Love to Run, captivated audiences and raised £100,000—the highest amount ever achieved for a Wild in Art sculpture.

Romeril’s only public exhibition in 2023 was a special invitation from the Thomas Dutoit Gallery, where he presented three large-scale paintings in celebration of 20 years of exhibiting with the gallery.

2022

Artist in Residence Program and Major Public Sculpture Installation

As soon as the restrictions for the COVID-19 pandemic were lifted, Nicholas Romeril flew to South Africa to participate in the Artist in Residence program with Wildlife ACT, a conservation NGO. He spent four weeks in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park volunteering on the monitoring program and ten days in the Drakensberg Mountains studying endangered vultures.

Residency Objectives

• Creating tangible artworks that foster cultural and environmental engagement
• Hosting exhibitions and events aligned with Wildlife ACT’s mission
• Building connections between ecological issues and diverse audiences, including local communities
• Facilitating dialogue with volunteers and tourists
• Raising funds through art sales, with a percentage donated to Wildlife ACT and Voice Art and Social

Upon returning to his studio, Romeril created life-sized black and white paintings of key species he encountered, notably wild dogs, vultures, white rhinos, giraffes, warthogs, and impalas. This body of work was exhibited at “Eyes On Us,” a pop-up exhibition featuring the paintings, prints, fragrances (in collaboration with perfumer Frances Lamb), soundscapes, immersive experiences, VR (with PTF Motion), and flat films (supported by VAS) at Jane James Space, Jersey.

Romeril was the keynote speaker delivering a presentation of his experiences in the South African bush for Standard Bank to celebrate their 30th year banking in Jersey.

In May, Romeril traveled to Schull, Ireland, to participate in the Fastnet Film Festival, where he presented his Antarctic VR films, paintings, and delivered a lecture.

To celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Romeril and his son William Romeril were commissioned to create a bronze sundial titled “Le Temps S’Passe Vite” for Jersey’s Government House. It was unveiled by Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, and Sophie, Duchess of Wessex, on 8th May.

2021

And Breathe Again: Covid Restrictions Relax

Despite ongoing Covid restrictions, Romeril successfully held two major exhibitions. The first, ‘And Breathe’, showcased at Thomas Dutoit Galerie, Switzerland featuring paintings of dramatic seascapes, golden sand dunes, snow-covered mountains and the Antarctic. The second, ‘Les Charrieres’, was a group exhibition with his sons, William and Danny, and his father, Philip, at Public and Private, Jersey. Following a challenging previous year, the art market showed strong resilience.

Romeril was also selected to participate with several of his Antarctic paintings at the ‘The Big Freeze Polar Art Festival’.

He created two mirrored wall art pieces: a bird mirror, Terns in Flight, for a private residence in Jersey and a fish mirror for a residence in Antibes, France. This visually striking process, developed over ten years, contrasts mirror-polished stainless steel with vibrant paint. The artworks are durable, suitable for extreme environments, and will remain unchanged over time.

2020

The Covid Pandemic Shutdown

During the complete shutdown caused by Covid restrictions, Romeril found the quiet, restrictive life advantageous to his creative practice. With no opportunity for travel, the isolation suited his process perfectly. He worked tirelessly during the first six months, producing paintings inspired by his daily escapes to isolated places like the beaches in Jersey. Romeril’s only exhibition that year was ‘Dear Water’, a new series exploring his relationship with the sea, held at Public and Private, Jersey.

He also received a major commission to create two giant chandeliers for a modern dairy farm at Trinity Manor Farm, Jersey. These chandeliers were designed to hang and provide ambient lighting for the cattle’s pleasure and relaxation, aiming to improve their welfare and productivity.

For his own amusement, Romeril created a bass sculpture with integrated lighting, producing a striking effect on the surrounding walls.

2019

Inspired by the Antarctic

Nicholas Romeril dedicated the previous year to producing a substantial body of work inspired by his Antarctic residency. The culmination of this creative period was showcased in the major exhibition “Breaking Ice: Nicholas Romeril in Antarctica” at Chris Beetles Gallery, London. This exhibition featured 70 paintings, a virtual reality film, and a unique penguin fragrance, all born from Romeril’s expedition to Antarctica with the Friends of the Scott Polar Research Institute (FoSPRI).

Following this intense period, Romeril embraced a lighter, more playful project. Setting himself the goal of creating an exhibition centered on the humorous penguins he encountered in Antarctica, he produced 36 paintings in six weeks. This collection was presented in a self-promoted exhibition titled “Millions and Millions of Penguins” at Jane James Space, Jersey, which was a complete sell-out and a source of great enjoyment.

The final solo exhibition of the year, “Personal Sanctuary,” explored Romeril’s personal relationship with Jersey’s coastline through a new series of paintings. This exhibition was held at Public and Private, Jersey.

In addition to his exhibitions, Romeril was commissioned twice by the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust. He participated in the Go Gorillas Sculpture Trail to raise funds for the new gorilla house at the zoo and created an animal globe sculpture for their annual ball auction. The animal globe sculpture featured fourteen key animals supported by Durrell and raised £12,000. His gorilla sculpture, titled “Gorilla and Penguins Should Never Meet,” was covered with hundreds of penguins and raised £34,000 for the charity.

Due to his expanding creative commitments, Romeril made the decision to step down from his lecturer position after 21 years to fully focus on his artistic career.

2018

Going Down South: A Year of Polar Discovery and Sculptural Reflection

The year began with Nicholas Romeril’s most prestigious residency to date: Artist in Residence with Friends of the Scott Polar Research Institute (FoSPRI), Cambridge University. From January to March, Romeril joined HMS Protector on a voyage to the Antarctic Peninsula via the Falkland Islands. This annual FoSPRI initiative sends artists to the Arctic and Antarctic to create works for the museum’s permanent collection.

Over 3,200 miles and 15 sites of special interest, Romeril immersed himself in the icy landscapes and life aboard ship. He produced over 200 drawings and paintings, shot a virtual reality film, captured more than 2,500 photographs, kept a detailed log and led drawing lessons and poetry competitions for the crew. Back in his studio, the experience ignited a burst of creativity, resulting in dramatic new paintings inspired by the sublime polar vistas.

Midyear, Romeril unveiled his early Antarctic works at two exhibitions. Polar Encounters: 200 Years of Contemporary and Historical Polar Art at Bonhams, London—curated by FoSPRI—placing his paintings alongside historical works and in Jersey, Breaking Ice featured a preview of his virtual reality film, a public talk, and a selection of new polar paintings.

Romeril’s major sculptural commission of the year was Flowers for Life, a large-scale installation in a private garden in San Diego, California. Crafted from polished and painted stainless steel, the sculpture celebrates vitality and love for life. Dramatically lit and designed with a shaded seating area, it invites contemplation. A second element, Endless Cycle, explores the interplay of life and death.

The year concluded with The Ice Breakers: Nicholas Romeril and Herbert Ponting at Private & Public. This dual exhibition juxtaposed Ponting’s century-old Antarctic photographs with Romeril’s contemporary paintings, bridging past and present through shared polar exploration.

2017

A Variety of Projects

Romeril held three solo exhibitions this year. The major show was Clean Air at the Thomas Dutoit Galerie, Switzerland. Romeril’s third solo exhibition with the gallery featured 54 paintings exploring alpine snowscapes, seascapes, and sand dunes. The works captured ephemeral atmospheres and shifting terrains, continuing his dialogue with landscape and ecology.

The second show was Cows In Disco, a Pop-up Exhibition at Framing Workshop in Jersey. This playful series of original acrylic paintings depicted brightly coloured Jersey cows, each named after iconic discos from Jersey’s tourism heyday. The exhibition celebrated local culture through nostalgic humour and bold visual language.

Finally, Romeril held an Open Studio event in Jersey, offering visitors insight into his creative process and current works-in-progress.

Finding Fear, Facing Hope was the title of the garden at the RHS Flower Show, Tatton Park, UK. Commissioned by Crohn’s and Colitis UK, Romeril created Sharp Intake of Breath, a stainless steel sculpture of a boy holding his breath. Installed within a gold medal-winning garden, the piece was voted the People’s Choice Award, resonating with themes of vulnerability and resilience.

Romeril was also featured in a German documentary film, Isles of the Queen, exploring artistic perspectives on island life. The film was broadcast by ARTE TV, Germany.

2016

Exhibitions and Sculptural Highlights of the Year

Two major exhibitions defined Romeril’s creative output this year. The largest, Overseas, held at Chris Beetles Gallery in London, marked his third solo show with the gallery and drew continued enthusiasm from collectors and audiences alike. Complementing this public engagement, Romeril also opened his home studio to visitors, offering an intimate glimpse into a new body of paintings developed in situ.

In addition to his painting practice, Romeril completed two sculptural works. Powered by the Wind, a dynamic wall installation of fluttering stainless steel fish, was installed at his home, reflecting his ongoing exploration of movement and material. The second, Doves, was unveiled as a public art commission at Pierre Arrive House in Jersey. Composed of twenty mirror-polished stainless steel doves in flight, the sculpture animates the façade of the building with a sense of grace and collective momentum.

2015

Paintings and Sculptures at CCA Galleries International, Jersey

The exhibition at CCA Galleries International in Jersey featured a captivating collection of paintings and sculptures. Central to the show were the sculptures titled Splash, Free the Spirit, Boys Head, and Ferns. These sculptural works took center stage, drawing significant attention. Complementing the sculptures were a series of paintings depicting natural coastal themes. These included seascapes, sand dunes, and boulders, many uniquely painted on slate, adding texture and depth to the visual experience. This blend of three-dimensional sculpture and slate-based landscape paintings created a dynamic and immersive exhibition that celebrated both form and nature.

2014

Two Exhibitions, One Evolving Vision

Nicholas Romeril unveils his vision through two distinct exhibitions: Bright Light, a solo show at Thomas Dutoit Galerie in Switzerland, and Beachcomber, presented with Chris Beetles Gallery in London. Together, they mark a pivotal juncture in Romeril’s evolution as a painter—offering a body of work that is both unmistakably his and increasingly distilled.

The Beachcombre series, in particular, deepens his long-standing engagement with coastal landscapes. These new works explore the textures of ecological memory with a heightened sense of rhythm, clarity, and emotional resonance—inviting viewers into a world where observation becomes reverence.

2013

New Connections and Gallery Representation

Sand, Surf, Stone marks Romeril’s first solo exhibition at Chris Beetles Gallery, London. After several years without London representation, he was introduced to the gallery by a collector—a connection that has since grown into a lasting relationship. Situated at the heart of the city’s art scene, the gallery offers a vibrant platform for new audiences to engage with Romeril’s work.

As in recent years, Romeril continues to open his studio to the public—a rewarding way to share new work and foster direct dialogue with visitors.

Alongside his studio practice, Romeril lectures four days a week across all fine art disciplines. This dual commitment—to teaching and making—nurtures a dynamic exchange of ideas. The energy he brings to education is reflected in the evolving sophistication of his paintings, where technical mastery meets conceptual depth.

2012

Terns and Horses

Romeril collaborated with Antler Homes on two distinct yet thematically linked projects. He installed Common Terns KEEY-YAH, a 2.5-metre powder-coated aluminum sculpture depicting a dynamic flock of feeding terns, which animates the landscaped gardens of the residential development. Complementing this, he curated a series of coastal-inspired paintings for a show home, drawing on the rhythms and textures of Jersey’s shoreline. Separately, Romeril created Horseshoe, Horse Head, a striking sculpture assembled from dozens of reclaimed horseshoes, commissioned for a new stable at Les Etabl’yes, St Ouen, by a prominent racehorse trainer.

2011

Searching for Possibilities

During the summer months, Romeril’s paintings were shown in Galerie des Sablons, St Malo, France. This popular seaside resort attracts many visitors and provided a great opportunity for Romeril to showcase his new paintings, prints, and sculptures to a wider European audience.

2010

A Very Big Year for a Bright Future

The year began with a milestone: Romeril’s introductory solo exhibition at Thomas Dutoit Galerie in Switzerland, featuring 38 new paintings and 5 sculptures. Introduced to the gallery by a friend, Romeril quickly forged a strong and successful relationship with the team. The gallery’s expansive two-floor layout allowed for an airy, spacious curation that amplified the presence and power of each individual work.

Romeril’s first major public art commission, Baitball, was unveiled at The Carlton, a premier seaside residential development at Havre des Pas, Jersey. Standing 4 meters high, this stainless steel sculpture captures the dynamic, weightless motion of a darting shoal of fish. Engineered with marine-grade materials, Baitball is built to endure the harsh coastal winters while evoking the fluid grace of underwater life.

Simultaneously, Romeril completed The Herd, a second major public commission for Jersey Dairy. This ambitious installation comprises twelve monumental friezes—each 2.5m by 1.25m—featuring painted portraits of Jersey cows on mirror-polished stainless steel. Romeril pioneered a unique technique for painting directly onto the steel surface, a process that has proven remarkably durable: the paint remains unchanged more than 15 years later. A highlight of the unveiling was Romeril’s presentation to Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal.

To mark the completion of The Herd, Romeril hosted a companion exhibition of the same name, showcasing the original charcoal drawings and giclée prints derived from the project. The event coincided with the release of a documentary film by Alison Richards, capturing the creative and technical journey behind the friezes. The 1-meter square charcoal works, transformed into limited-edition prints, resonated widely with audiences—many editions have since sold out.

2008

Interiors and Paintings

A solo exhibition showcasing Nicholas Romeril’s paintings within the luxurious showroom of David Hick Interiors, a high-end furniture and interior design store in Jersey. The exhibition features Romeril’s distinctive works that explore landscape, and ecology, harmonising with the elegant and sophisticated environment of the showroom. Visitors could experience the interplay between fine art and exquisite interior design, where Romeril’s paintings complement the luxurious furniture and décor on display.

2007

Conservation through Art

‘Tonic’ marked Romeril’s third solo exhibition with East West Gallery in Notting Hill, London. The show presented 18 paintings exploring the sculptural forms of sand dunes and boulders. Subtle shifts in shadow and colour across the bleached surfaces echoed the hues of the sky, creating a visual dialogue between land and atmosphere — a study in harmony and abstraction.

‘New Paintings’ was Romeril’s first collaboration with the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust. Curated to raise funds for the Trust, the exhibition was held in partnership with Cazenove Capital Management, Jersey. This marked the beginning of Romeril’s ongoing commitment to conservation through art.

2006

Les Minquiers: Romeril’s Island of Solitude

In July, Romeril marooned himself on the remote archipelago of Les Minquiers, 11 miles south of Jersey. These islands, wild and largely untouched, are a Ramsar site of global ecological importance. At high tide, the land shrinks to the size of a football pitch; at spring low tide, it unfurls six miles westward — a shifting canvas of sea and stone.

Les Minquiers holds deep layers of human and geological history. Neanderthal artefacts have been found here. Once a refuge for fishermen and later quarried for granite used in the Houses of Parliament, the islands also served as German lookout posts during WWII.

With no electricity or running water, Romeril embraced 14 days of isolation, creating 30 paintings that capture the raw essence of the place. The resulting series, exhibited at Studio 18 Gallery in Jersey, resonated deeply with local audiences. It marked a turning point in his practice — deepening his commitment to wild spaces and conservation storytelling

2005

First ‘Open Studio’ and Public Art Event in Jersey

Nicholas Romeril’s first Open Studio marked the inauguration of his purpose-built private artist space in Jersey—a significant milestone and a bold investment in his creative vision.

During this formative period, Romeril was commissioned to produce Herd of Charing Cross?, a large-scale public art installation that transformed the streets of St Helier. The project featured monumental banners printed with images of cows, which were mysteriously installed overnight across buildings along York Street, one of the town’s main thoroughfares.

For an entire summer, these unexpected interventions reimagined the urban landscape, captivating both locals and visitors. The project was met with widespread enthusiasm and became a landmark moment in Jersey’s public art scene. It also emboldened Romeril to scale up his artistic ambitions and explore new ways of engaging the public through art.

2004

Secrets

The artist’s second solo exhibition in London, Secrets, unveiled a captivating body of work that delves into hidden narratives and intimate perspectives shaped by the ephemeral interplay of light across stone and sand. Held at East West Gallery in the heart of Nottinghill’s cultural district, the show drew a diverse audience and garnered critical acclaim for its evocative exploration of materiality and atmosphere. Each piece invited viewers to contemplate the subtle transformations of landscape and memory, revealing the quiet power of elemental forms in flux.

Romeril relocated to his current home, embarking on an ambitious renovation that reflects his commitment to creating immersive, site-responsive workspaces. Among the property’s features is a charming outbuilding, now envisioned as the ideal setting for his new studio. This transition marks a significant evolution in his practice, offering a dedicated space for experimentation, collaboration, and the development of new projects that bridge art, ecology, and storytelling

2003

Silence

Studio 18 Gallery, Jersey

Nicholas Romeril published a fully illustrated catalogue for this exhibition, featuring an insightful essay by John Russell Taylor. In the essay, Taylor observes:

“At least to most eyes they appear to be purely passive and immobile. But to Romeril their curves seem to suggest human or animal forms.”

This exhibition explores the subtle dynamism and evocative shapes within Romeril’s boulder paintings, inviting viewers to perceive the latent life and movement within seemingly still forms.

2002

Vessels of Collaboration and Craft

Romeril explored the expressive potential of painted ceramics through a collaboration with Jersey Pottery. Working alongside master potter Ray Ubsdell, he created ten large-scale vessels that merged painterly abstraction with traditional form. Each pot was hand-thrown by Ubsdell, glazed at the pottery, and then transformed by Romeril’s distinctive surface treatments. The resulting works were showcased in an exhibition titled Vessels, celebrating the intersection of fine art, craft, and local heritage

2001

Evolving Voice

Romeril was thrilled to present his first solo exhibition in London, titled Hot Spells, at East West Gallery in Notting Hill. Although the gallery had supported his work since graduation, this marked a significant moment—his debut solo show in the capital, showcasing a cohesive body of work that reflected his evolving artistic voice.

2000

Growing Confidence

‘Here & Now’ marked a turning point in Romeril’s career, becoming his first sold-out exhibition with Studio 18 in Jersey. The boulder paintings—quietly developed over several years—resonated deeply with viewers. Their modern sensibility, anchored in technical precision, struck a compelling chord.

The series continued with ‘White Heat’, which travelled to Guernsey’s Coach House Gallery. Its success affirmed a quiet truth: it was the strength of the work that captivated audiences, not the artist’s persona. This realisation deepened Romeril’s confidence, reinforcing his belief in the power of a painting to speak for itself.

1996

Young Times

Calm Charm was a deeply personal exhibition held at Studio 18 Gallery in Jersey, inspired by an eight-month backpacking honeymoon across Southeast Asia and Australia with the artist’s new wife, Audrey. The show captured the sublime beauty of remote landscapes—light cascading off the cliffs of Katherine Gorge, the vast stillness of the Outback, and the tangled vitality of Sumatran jungles—each canvas a reflection of shared wonder and discovery.

At the time, Romeril was balancing the demands of young family life, raising twin boys who would later follow in his artistic footsteps. He painted in a greenhouse while gradually converting an outbuilding into a more permanent studio. Though the space swung between extremes of heat and cold, it marked a welcome shift from his earlier studio in London—an imperfect but promising foundation for a new chapter of creative and domestic life.

1995

Lets Go

After eight formative years in London, Romeril concluded his commission with Peter Binnington to design an intricate verre églomisé mirrors for the Sultan of Brunei. With the project complete and savings in hand, he and Audrey seized the moment to marry and embark on a long-awaited journey. Their travels took them through Southeast Asia and Australia before settling in Jersey, where they gradually returned to a new rhythm of life later that year.

1994

Early Career Breakthrough

One year after completing his MA in Fine Art (Printmaking) at Camberwell College of Art, Nicholas Romeril held his first UK solo exhibition at the Star Brewery Gallery in Lewes, East Sussex. The show featured a dynamic mix of works developed during his postgraduate studies alongside new pieces created in his Brixton studio, marking a pivotal moment in his transition from student to professional artist.

1993

First Solo exhibition

People in Place marked Nicholas Romeril’s debut solo exhibition at Studio 18 Gallery in Jersey. The show presented a selection of his degree paintings and prints, distinguished by their abstract sensibility and experimental approach. Through vibrant explorations of colour, texture, and mixed media, Romeril revealed the early contours of a style that would evolve into his signature fusion of landscape, ecology, and material storytelling. This formative body of work offered glimpses into his artistic curiosity and laid the groundwork for future thematic and technical developments.

Early years

Nicholas Romeril was born 0n 11th  October 1967 into an old farming family in Jersey, with the family having lived on the same farm since 1763. His father was a passionate cattle breeder and an amateur painter, while his mother, a farmer’s wife, loved creativity. During the quiet winter months, his father would create oil paintings in the kitchen, and his mother would work on her handicrafts. Art was a familiar and cherished presence in their home. As Romeril developed a passion for art, his parents encouraged him by helping him gain portrait commissions and supporting visits to famous art galleries in London and Paris. Romeril attended Birmingham Polytechnic’s art foundation course; however, unsure of his commitment, he took a year off to paint full-time. After a year of creating portraits, he decided he did not want to be pigeonholed at such a young age and applied to Camberwell College of Art to study Fine Art Painting. He loved the freedom of the course and won several awards, including the Royal Over-Seas League Travel Scholarship. He chose to visit Mexico and spent three weeks traveling around, exploring ancient ruins. Upon his return, he exhibited the results at the Royal Over-Seas League in St James. He was also selected to take part in “A View of the New,” a survey exhibition of young British artists at the Royal College of Art, where his painting hung beside an early work by Peter Doig. Suddenly, his father fell ill and died during Romeril’s second year at college. He faced a difficult decision: continue pursuing his creative ambitions or take over the successful family farm. With the blessing of his family, he chose the art world. This decision focused his attention and made him work religiously to succeed. After completing his BA, he established a group studio on Minet Road in Brixton. The complex was at the heart of the Young British Artists (YBAs) scene, with artists such as Cecily Brown, Johannes Phokela, Tacita Dean, and Damien Hirst all having studios there. Here, Romeril made paintings and held down part-time jobs but began to miss what was important to him: wild, natural places and as much as he loved the vibrancy of London he knew he did not wish to stay forever. Jersey was home.