Nigel Humphries

The former IN:SIGHT finalist is passionate about revolutionising the way we view still-life painting, and draws upon his childhood for inspiration. He hopes to spread happiness through his work and admires artists such as Norman Rockwell, Alex Ross and Arthur Rackham.

For each piece, he sets up a miniature theatre stage with crumpled paper for the backdrop and the star of the show lit up in the centre. The initial layout is outlined on the canvas in willow charcoal before oil paint is applied onto a fine-grain linen canvas panel, which allows him to capture details.

After capturing superheroes like Batman, Spider-Man, Wonder Woman and Black Panther, Nigel turned his focus to music stars for his Mixtape collection. Researching outfits, poses and unique features (including Freddie Mercury's chest hair!), he created a spectacular line-up that includes everything from pop to rock 'n' roll. 

Nigel says: "I love bringing the characters to life, almost like in Disney’s Toy Story film – that’s my thinking behind it!"

Shop Nigel's Autumn Winter // 2020 release here.