Biography
I was born in Edinburgh, and graduated in printmaking from Gray’s School of Art in Aberdeen and the Slade School of Fine Art (University College London). A year’s printmaking Scholarship from the Mexican Institute of Fine Arts allowed me to live and practise in Mexico City, where I worked in an experimental printmaking studio and was profoundly influenced by the culture and colours which surrounded me. I remained for 3 more years in Mexico.
On my return, I taught art to adults for many years in Edinburgh, Spain and throughout Scotland, but it was through training as a Scottish Tourist Guide (Blue Badge) that I acquired a deep interest in, and the privilege of learning about Scottish geography, geology and archaeology over 20 years of interpreting the landscape for visitors. This has provided a solid base for my art practice, and has led me to be the tutor of an annual painting trip called “Sense of Place” to Lewis and Harris, which has run to capacity every year since 2016.
I now work full time on my art practice, dividing my time between my studio at Coburg House in Leith, and the workshop at Edinburgh Printmakers.
My work can be seen at regular Open Studios at Coburg House Studios, Edinburgh, during the first weekends of August and December, in the Coburg Shop, and at the shop and Members’ Gallery at Edinburgh Printmakers.
Links
Please feel free to browse these associated sites:
wildatartscotland.com/small-group-art-holidays-in-scotland
www.coburghouse.co.uk/artists#/nicky-sanderson/
edinburghprintmakers.co.uk/artists/243-nicky-sanderson/
I am a member of the following members associations:
www.s-s-a.org/our-members/nickysanderson/profile/
www.visualartsscotland.org/artist-biography/nicky-sanderson
Photo by Geraldine Benson
CURRICULUM VITAE
Future Exhibitions
November 2024
Solo show at the Scottish Arts Club, Edinburgh
Winter Printmaking Show, Whitehouse Gallery, Kirkcudbright
Selected Exhibitions
2023
Journey, Edinburgh Printmakers members’ show
Resident Artist at Porto & Fi Bistro, Edinburgh
Four Stories, Group of four show, Coburg House Gallery, Edinburgh
Artwalk Porty, Art House exhibitor
Tidelines, 2 Person Show, Whitespace Gallery, Edinburgh
2022
SSA 30 x 30 members show
Kinship, Edinburgh Printmakers members’ show
Small Is Beautiful, Coburg House Gallery, Edinburgh featuring small paintings on marine chart.
Artwalk Porty, solo Art House
5 Person Show at Coburg House Gallery, featuring work based on the islands of the Firth of Forth.
2021
Uig Open, online show curated by Hulabhaig, Isle of Lewis
Solace, Edinburgh Printmakers members show
Perspectives from Home, 3 Person Show at Whitehouse Gallery, Kirkcudbright
2020
Flow, online show with Visual Arts Scotland
2019
Artwalk Porty, solo Art House
Encompassed, New Work, Group show at The Union Gallery, Edinburgh, featuring paintings and collages inspired by recent travel in Myanmar
2018
Distilled, Group show at the Art Club Gallery, Edinburgh
Deluge, Group Show at Edinburgh Printmakers
2017
A Land Unfolding, Coburg House Art Gallery
Edinburgh Festival group show with Encompassed
Winter Exhibition, The Meffan, Forfar
2009 – to date
Coburg House Gallery, Leith, Edinburgh: Christmas Shows and Open Studios twice yearly
2013
The Steading Gallery, Kelso
1995
Aberdeen Art Gallery Gray’s School of Art Former Students
1985 – 1986
Galería Tlalpuente, Mexico City
1984
Greenwich Theatre Art Gallery, London, solo show
1984
Anglo Mexican Institute, London, solo show
1983
Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh, solo show
1982
Instituto de Bellas Artes, Mexico City, solo show
1980
The Henderson Gallery, Edinburgh
Collections
Work in the collection of Art in Healthcare, Scotland
And in private collections including:
Colin Sutherland, Lord Carloway, Lord President of the Court of Session and Lord Justice General
Alistair Darling, Lord Darling of Roulanish
Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen
Work in private collections in France, Spain, USA and Mexico
Awards & Residencies
2022-23
Peer Mentoring awarded by the Society of Scottish Artists
2007
1month Painting Residency at Catterline, ‘The Watchie’ studio
1981 – 1982
1 year Scholarship from the Mexican Institute of Fine Arts to study Experimental Printmaking in Mexico City
1976
Painting prize, visit to San Gimigniano, Tuscany
Academic Resumé
2016 – 2017
Critical Professional Development course, Leith School of Art
1994 – 1996
Calligraphy studies, Edinburgh College of Art
1979 – 1981
Postgraduate 2 year Higher Diploma in Fine Art (Printmaking), Slade School of Fine Art, London
1975 – 1979
Diploma in Art (Printmaking), Gray’s School of Art, Aberdeen
Teaching Experience
Currently part time tutor for Wild at Art Scotland Ltd. luxury creative holiday company
2015 – 2020
Tutor for Wild At Art Ltd, luxury creative holidays in Scotland
Scottish Art History trainer for STGA (Scottish Tourist Guides Association)
Print and Collage tutor for Arran Visual Arts, Isle of Arran
2004 – 2010
Joint director of a small art tourism business called artEscapes. This involved organising accommodation and itineraries as well as art tutoring/ demonstrating abroad and in the UK, often with a strong historical or cultural connection.
1995 – 2006
Teacher of Art (drawing & painting and calligraphy) in Community Education (20 hours per week class contact time September to May) for Edinburgh City Council
2002 – 2003
Summer Course art teacher at George Watson’s College, Edinburgh
Other Qualifications
2008
Qualified as an art specialist guide to the Contemporary Art Collection in the Scottish Parliament
2005
Qualified as a tour guide in the new Scottish Parliament
2001 – 2020
Professional Member of the Scottish Tourist Guides Association: Blue Badge Guide for Scotland, guiding in English and Spanish, with a particular interest in art, design and architecture
1995
Advanced Diploma in Spanish as a Foreign Language (DELE, University of Salamanca); fluent Spanish speaker