Bankside Hotel, in partnership with Contemporary Collective, are delighted to welcome British contemporary artist Nicola Hyslop as our Spring Artist in Residence, working from our Art Yard Makers Studio.
Rooted in contemporary abstract expressionism, Nicola’s practice translates lived experience into colour, movement and rhythm, creating works that feel visceral, immediate and deeply human.
During her residency, Nicola will develop a new large-scale series, The Rhythm of Memory: An Intuitive Exploration. These paintings unfold as emotional landscapes, where personal memories are distilled into gestural marks, layered textures and dynamic compositions. Rather than following a fixed plan, each work emerges intuitively, shaped by spontaneity and the raw energy of the moment.
Music plays a central role in Nicola’s process. Using rhythm as a guide, she channels sound into physical movement across the canvas. Visitors to the Art Yard Makers Studio will be able to access curated soundtracks via QR codes displayed alongside the works, offering a deeper connection between what is seen and what is felt, and creating a truly immersive, multi-sensory experience.
Our open-studio setting offers a rare opportunity to witness the making of each piece in real time, from the first instinctive marks through to moments of refinement and resolution. Through conversation and shared interpretation, Nicola invites guests to engage with the abstract process, discovering their own memories reflected within the evolving forms and colours.
About Nicola
Nicola Hyslop is a British contemporary abstract expressionist whose work explores colour, movement and the emotional texture of lived experience. With over fifteen years of professional practice, her paintings are held in private and commercial collections internationally. Her gestural approach embraces what she describes as “organised chaos,” allowing each canvas to remain alive with the intensity of the moment in which it was created.
Explore Nicola’s work: https://www.degreeart.com/artists/nicola-hyslop
Stay ConnectedFollow Nicola’s journey and behind-the-scenes moments via @Contemporary_Collective
Open House
Art Yard Maker’s Studio has an open-house policy, so if you‘re visiting our neighbourhood’s major art galleries, Southbank Centre, Tate Modern or Hayward Gallery why not stop by to see an artist at work.