stephen niccolls

august 30 - september 25, 2025

“I think of my paintings as often having hints of reference, such as still life or landscape or even portrait, even though they mostly belong to the abstract category, if there is really such a thing. I also make paintings that are things unto themselves, having little or no outside reference. There is the possibility of overlap between these two states.

Most of my work resides in this overlap area.

Some of the references in my work could be described as spatial, in that there are sometimes shape or color relationships that suggest a spatial illusion or an implication of depth. The internal structure of some of my paintings seems to invoke the feeling of a monumental or architectural presence. Others contain formal relationships that recall the intimacy of still-life paintings. In each of these instances, there will be elements that determine the scale of the context, or at least they seem to imply it.

I place a priority on the use of color and shape relationships in my compositions, but I also pay some attention to the textural qualities, a dimension that can enhance dynamic contrasts between forms and spaces.”