Artist Nicola Bouwer standing in the doorway of Studio 1, smiling with arms crossed inside her light-filled art studio.

About

Nicola is a Johannesburg-based South African artist working across oil painting and collage. Her practice is rooted in quiet observation and emotional storytelling, drawing on themes of memory, stillness, nature, and the spaces in between.

Nicola’s creative journey is shaped by instinct and her formal studies in social sciences. She believes creativity is not something you learn, it is how you move through the world.

She began her career in the corporate world before gradually shifting focus to a dedicated art practice, returning to a long-standing interest in making art.

Her process is guided by a sensitivity to mood and form, often drawn to simple, evocative elements like a lone chair, the flicker of a shadow, or the way light touches a surface. With influences ranging from Japanese aesthetics to photography, graphic design, architecture, and flowers, her work is an introspective and playful mix of mediums and meaning.

Artist Statement

My work explores moments of stillness, emotional honesty, and the quiet spaces between presence and memory. Rooted in introspection, it often draws from nature, family relationships, and the unseen layers of life’s experiences, exploring what lies beneath the surface.

I work with both oil painting and collage, alternating between them as each offers different ways of thinking and making.

My oil paintings are made using a rub-out technique, revealing forms through erasure and light. These works lean into atmospheric, ghostly impressions, soft tonal shifts, and a dreamlike quality that speaks to transience and emotional resonance.

Collage allows me to engage with found imagery and photography, weaving together fragments into visually layered narratives. Themes of identity, transformation, playfulness, and quiet tension recur. Across both mediums, I look to create space - for ambiguity, emotional resonance, and connection.

Art is my way of thinking, processing, and finding meaning.

I hope it offers others a moment to pause, to feel, and to see something of themselves within the quiet.

Reviews

  • Black and white abstract painting of several glasses and a bottle, with glasses filled with liquid and ice, seen from above.

    We purchased an artwork from Nicola and absolutely love it now that it’s framed and on our wall. A beautiful addition to our home.

    - Hugo Bezuidenhout

  • Abstract painting with horizontal white and light blue streaks on a dark background.

    Nicola Bouwer’s work is radiant and rich. I have a large collection of art hanging on my walls. I’ve been curating spaces for the last 20 years, public and private platforms. I have worked with artists from around the world. When I view Bouwer’s work, it clearly stands out. Her ability to tell a story with the least amount of subject on the canvas is unparalleled. A single chair against an identified background says so much. Bouwer has the ability to move you to tears with only a single chair. I’m a proud collector of her work. I am thrilled to witness her artistic journey and can’t wait to see where she will go…and take me with her.

    - Yasser Bagersh

  • Elevator control panel with 16 round pinkish-red buttons arranged in a grid on a metallic surface.

    I am lucky to have one of Nicola’s atmospheric paintings in my hallway. It is serene and moody, taking you to a quieter place every time you walk past.

    - Robyn Shamu

  • I don't have any abstract art in my house. It isn't that I don't appreciate abstract art - I just couldn't find pieces that I felt comfortable living with. This triptych by Nicola Bouwer was the perfect option for me: architectural, modern and fresh, but at home in my home.

    - Zelda Pringle

  • Abstract watercolor painting with light gray and dark blue tones arranged vertically on white paper, featuring irregular shapes and soft blending.

    I have known Nicola for many years, and although I am no expert, her growth as an artist has been sublime and wonder to watch. Nicola’s style is relatable, and her pictures take pride of place in our home.

    - Mark Hele