Nick Bashall is one of England's leading portrait painters. Born in England and raised in Zimbabwe, Nick returned to the UK to study law at Cambridge - where he was also the heavyweight boxing blue. A stint in London with one of the big solicitors’ firms preceded six years working in Pakistan and Dubai, saving up the money to study painting full time. After an accident that left him paralysed on one side he relearnt to use his other hand in order to train under the Spanish maestro Joaquin Torrents Llado in Majorca for five years before becoming an artist full time in London in 1997.

Now, nearly twenty five years later he has earned a reputation as a prolific portrait painter. His many commissions include: Kate Nesbit MC, HRH Princess Anne for The Household Cavalry and for the Royal Corps of Signals, Bill Powers President of the University of Texas, Josh Leakey VC, HRH Princess Michael of Kent and the former head of the British army General Sir Michael Jackson. He is renowned for his portraits of children, in both oil and charcoal which he always does from life regardless of the sitters age or enthusiasm for sitting still. More recently among other commissions he has completed large scale conversation pieces of for The Household Cavalry and for twenty past heads of guilds of The City of London and an ongoing project drawing key members of Whites Club.

In addition Nick has a couple of intriguing side shows. As a war artist, he’s painted on the streets of Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq in front of hundreds of locals - guarded by the British Army.

He regularly performs painting live at Glastonbury, Secret Garden Party and Wilderness. These festivals provide him with a large tent where he paints festival goers from life accompanied by music. Nick has also painted live alongside Nicky Philipps for a number of private events, rock stars birthdays, charitable foundations and at clubs such as Mark’s Club and 5 Hertford St, bringing an audience inside the mesmerising bohemia of figurative painting. With music and drinks in hand audiences are invited to watch as an image comes to life in oil on canvas in two hours. Get in touch with Beatrice if you would be interested in booking them for your event.

In the tradition of many artists Nick’s reputation as an artist is almost equalled as one of a teacher and his classes based in Chelsea and abroad are in great demand.