About

Born and works in Jersey, Channel Islands. 11 October 1967.

Education

1991-3. MA fine art (printmaking). Camberwell College of Art and Design, University of the Arts London.

1988-91.BA (Hons) fine art (painting). Camberwell College of Art and Design, University of the Arts London.

Selected Employment

• Artist, 1987-present.

Creating paintings, prints, sculptures, site specific art work and virtual reality films for exhibitions, experimentation and clients.

Nicholas Romeril’s work is represented by Chris Beetles Gallery, London and Thomas Dutoit Galerie, Switzerland.

• Lecturer, 1996-2019.

Lecturer on the  Art and Design courses at Highlands School of Art, Jersey, specialising in painting, printmaking, 2D and 3D visual language.

Completed Certificate in Education (Further & Higher Education) from University of Southampton in 2001.

• Full time Artist and Designer, 1994-95.

Peter Binnington, Battersea High Street, Battersea, London. Commissioned to design, make and install 52 Verre Eglomise mirrors for the Sultan of Brunei’s London home in Park Lane.

Biography

During his degree at Camberwell, Romeril won the travel scholarship from the Royal Overseas League International Painting Competition. He traveled around Mexico and on his return he exhibited and published his work with the ROSL in St James, London. This was his first real opportunity to travel and explore different cultures which has been a major part of his life ever since.

After graduating, he opened and ran a studio in Brixton, London sharing the space with other recent graduates. He continued to print at Artichoke Print workshop in London and exhibited in several London galleries. Around this time he also worked with Peter Binnington creating bespoke decorative Verre Egolimse mirrors for the Sultan of Brunei.

Concerned with the amount of time he was spending in his own studio he opted for a complete change. Romeril left London and went travelling around South East Asia and Australia for 8 months.

On returning to Jersey, Romeril again, set up a studio, began painting, sculpting, printmaking and started lecturing at Highlands School of Art. He has, since then, held over 30 solo exhibitions and many group shows in London, Switzerland, France, USA and Jersey.

In 2006, Romeril self imposed a period of isolation for two weeks on Les Minquiers, Channel Islands, to create artwork highlighting the spectacular tidal range to this tiny archipelago. He experienced severe weather and was marooned for 10 days without sight of any visitors. From this residency, he created 30 paintings, a deep knowledge, respect and love for small secluded places.

In 2008, he was invited to exhibit one of his large ‘oil on stale’ paintings at ‘Romantics in the Channel Islands” at the Jersey Museum. This has been his only museum show to date.

Romeril has made many ‘Percentage for Art‘ artworks around the island over the last 15 years. The most public is the ‘Herd of Jersey” at the Jersey Dairy, Trinity Showground. He has made others small and large scale works for private developments and continues to achieve high profile commissions.

In 2018, Romeril was awarded the artist in residence for the Friends of the Scott Polar Research Institute. This has been the most exciting and creative project so far and he learnt a great deal about what he can achieve during an expedition like this. In January 2018, he travelled to Antarctic Peninsular aboard HMS Protector. During the six-week expedition, he travelled to 15 special interest sites, covering over 3,500 miles. He produced more than 200 drawings and paintings, a diary of the journey and a number of virtual reality films. The residency was funded by the Royal Navy and Bonhams Auction House. His responsibility was to create a body of work, exhibit the results and donate a piece to the FoSPRI, SPRI and the Royal Navy. He held 6 solo exhibitions of the work created from this residency in Jersey, London, Switzerland and Ireland.

Early in 2022 Nicholas Romeril was the first Artist in Residency with Wildlife ACT, a conservation NGO saving endangered species, in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park and the Drakensberg Mountains in the KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa. He spend 4 weeks on the volunteer program in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi park and 10 days in the Drakensberg mountain studying the endangered Vultures. “EYES ON US” was the first exhibition of the paintings, prints, fragrances, soundscapes, immersive experiences, VR and flat films he has created since his return.

Again in 2023, with Wildlife Act, Romeril took part in the volunteering program on North Island, Seychelles to monitor the hatching turtles (Green and Hawksbill), the population of giant tortoises, eradicate invasive plant species and count and record flotsam and jetsam collected from the beaches. He created 40 field paintings, shoot footage for VR films and did all the volunteers program.

The objectives for both artist in residency programs are:

• Create tangible artefacts which encourages cultural engagement
• Create exhibitions/events promoting Wildlife Act mission statement
• Create inspiring connections between the environmental issues and the audience including the local communities.
• Encourages communication with volunteers and tourists
• Raise funds through selling artwork

A percentage of the sales will be donated by Nicholas Romeril to Wildlife ACT and Voice Art And Social to support their mission and to raise funds for the local communities around the park. The ultimate goal is to fund a mobile library and establish a local art school.

Romerils next exhibitions will be held at the Thomas Dutoit Gallery in Switzerland (May) and the Chris Beetles Gallery in London November 2024.

Solo Exhibitions and notable events.

2024

• ‘Sunshine and Sea Spray’ 43 new paintings exploring Romeril’s small excursions around Jersey and the Seychelles. Chris Beetles Gallery, London
• ‘Hidden Depths’, Series of underwater paintings from the Seychelles residency, Jaro, Jersey

• ‘The Seychelles and the North Atlantic’. an exhibition of paintings from the Wildlife Act Residency in the Seychelles. 2024 Thomas Dutoit Galerie, Switzerland

2023

• Artist in Residency with Wildlife Act to North Island, Seychelles

2022

• ‘Eyes on Us’, an exhibition of paintings, prints, fragrances, soundscapes, immersive experiences, VR and flat films from the Wildlife Act Residency in SA, Jane James Space, Jersey
• ‘Hare sculpture’ auctioned for Durrell (Jersey Zoo) as part of Go Tortoises, the hare raised £100000.00 for the charity.
• ‘Fastnet Film Festival’, presenting VR films, paintings, and a lecture. Schull, Ireland
• ‘Le Temps S’Passe Vite’ , Bronze Sundial for Jersey’s Government House to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth 11. It was unveiled by Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Sophie, Duchess of Wessex on 8th May
• Artist in Residency with Wildlife Act to Hluhluwe-iMfolozi, South Africa, March to April

2021

• ‘Les Charrieres’, group exhibition with my sons, William and Danny and my father Philip, Public and Private, Jersey
• ‘And Breathe’, 55 paintings featuring dramatic seascapes, golden sand dunes, snow covered mountains and the Ataractic. Thomas Dutoit Galerie, Switzerland

2020

• ‘Dear Water’, new series of paintings exploring Romeril’s relationship with the sea. Public and Private, Jersey
• Cow Chandelier’, two giant hanging sculptures for the dairy stables at Trinity Manor Farm, Jersey

2019

• ‘Personal Sanctuary’, new series of paintings exploring Romerils’ relationship with Jersey’s coastline. Public and Private, Jersey
• ‘Breaking Ice, Nicholas Romeril in Antarctica’, 70 paintings resulting from Romeril’s expedition to the Antarctic with FoSPRI, Chris Beetles Gallery, London
• ‘Millions and Millions of Penguins’ 36 paintings of penguins, Jane James Space, Jersey

2018

• Artist in Residence with Friends of the Scott Polar Research Institute, Cambridge University. Traveling on board HMS Protector to the Antarctic Peninsula via the Falkland Islands from January to March
• ‘Flowers for Life’ Installation of a large-scale stainless-steel sculpture in a private garden in San Diego, California, USA

2017

• ‘Cows In Discos’ Pop up Exhibition of original acrylic paintings of brightly coloured Jersey Cows, Framing Workshop, Jersey
• ‘Crisp Air’, Solo Exhibition at Thomas Dutoit Galerie, Switzerland
• ‘Finding Fear, facing Hope’, RHS Flower Show, Tatton Park, UK. Romeril made a stainless steel sculpture called ‘Sharp intake or Breath’ depicting a boy holding his breath for Crohn’s and Colitis UK. The garden was awarded a gold medal and the public voted the garden as the people’s choice award
• ‘Isles of the Queen” Romeril is featured in a German Film for ARTE TV
• ‘Open Studio’ Artists private space. Jersey

2016

• ‘Overseas’. Solo exhibition at Chris Beetles Gallery, London
• ‘Doves’ at Pierre Arrive House. Unveiling of public art sculpture. Jersey
• ‘Open Studio’ Artists private space. Jersey

2015

• ‘Free to Jump’. New paintings exhibition CCA Galleries International. Jersey

2014

• ‘Beachcombe’. Solo exhibition at Chris Beetles Gallery, London
• ‘Open Studio’ Artists private space. Jersey

2013

• ‘Bright Ligh’t, Solo Exhibition at Thomas Dutoit Galerie, Switzerland
• ‘Open Studio’ Artists private space. Jersey
• ‘Sand, Surf, Stone’. Solo exhibition at Chris Beetles Gallery, London

2012

• ‘Solo exhibition’ of new paintings at Clos de Charriere, show home for Antler Homes. Jersey
• ‘Common Terns KEEY-YAH’. 2.5m high powder coated aluminum sculpture depicting a flock of feeding terns. Clos de Charriere, Jersey
• ‘Horseshoe, Horse Head’. Sculpture made from used horse shoes. Les Etabl’yes, St Ouen, Jersey

2011

• ‘Solo exhibition’ of new paintings, prints and sculptures at Galerie des Sablons, St Malo, France

2010

• ‘Solo exhibition’ of 38 new paintings and 5 sculptures at Thomas Dutoit Galerie, Switzerland
• ‘Herd’ an exhibition of the working drawings and prints in conjunction with the release of a film by Alison Richards, which documents the process used to create the exterior frieze for the Jersey Dairy
• ‘Herd Installation’ at Jersey Dairy. Twelve massive exterior paintings of cow portraits on to mirror polished stainless steel. 2.5m x 14m. Nicholas Romeril was presented to Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal during the unveiling.
• ‘Baitball’, 6m high stainless steel sculpture of a shoal of fish for The Carlton, a premier seaside residential development at Havre des Pas, Jersey

2008

• ‘Nicholas Romeril at David Hick Interiors’, Jersey
• ‘Open Studio’. Artist’s private space, Jersey

2007

• ‘Tonic’. East West Gallery, Notting Hill, London
• ‘New Paintings’. An exhibition of new work to raise funds for Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust in association with Cazenove Capital Management, Jersey

2006

• ‘Les Minquiers’, Studio 18 Gallery, Jersey
• ‘Self imposed residency’ on the tiny archipelago of the Minquiers Iles which is 11 mile south of Jersey

2005

• ‘Open Studio’, Artists private space, Jersey
• ‘Herd of Charing Cross?’, Large scale public art event in the streets of St Helier, Jersey

2004

• ‘Secrets’. East West Gallery, Notting Hill, London

2003

• ‘Silence’. Studio 18 Gallery, Jersey

2002

• ‘Vessels’. An exhibition of paintings on ceramic. Jersey Pottery, Jersey

2001

• ‘Hot Spells’. East West Gallery, Notting Hill, London

2000

• ‘Here & Now’. Studio 18 Gallery, Jersey
• ‘White Heat’. Coach House Gallery, Guernsey

1996

• ‘Calm Charm’. Studio 18 Gallery, Jersey

1994

• ‘Solo Exhibition’, Star Brewery Gallery. Lewes, East Sussex

1993

• ‘People in Place’. Studio 18 Gallery, Jersey