Portrait Painting — Contemporary Portraits by London Painter Nicholas a. Ferguson
The portraits move outside in; starting with a person, going looking for their humanity.
Every portrait is the same act: looking at someone long enough to find their spirit. Not recording how someone appears; finding what lies underneath. Each painting develops through conversation, observation, and sustained attention, in person in London or remotely.
Original portraits are available by private arrangement. Commissions are welcomed where there is a genuine connection to the work and the process.
Four ways in. One destination.
Icons of London — A Portrait Series
Icons of London is an ongoing portrait series celebrating individuals who shape the cultural life of the city Nicholas has called home for over two decades.
Through painted portraits, the project seeks to create a living archive of London — from well-known figures to the personalities whose creativity and individuality define the city’s communities.
Revealing Portraits
The Revealing Portraits series strips the sitter back to their essence, exploring how we choose to be seen by the world.
These paintings invite participants to submit an image of themselves that they feel represents their identity, allowing the portrait to explore both perception and projection.
Self-Reflective Portraits
The Self-Reflective Portraits combine painting with written reflection, creating a visual and emotional record of who the sitter is and who they are becoming.
These works function as personal anchors — images that capture a moment of insight, intention, or transformation.
True Colours Portraits
The True Colours Portraits explore the symbolic and imaginative dimensions of identity.
Rich in colour and symbolism, these paintings blend observation with myth-making, creating portraits that reflect both the sitter’s present state and their potential future self.