Nichol Wheatley is a Scottish artist whose wide-ranging practice spans painting, murals, sculpture, and large-scale public art. Best known for his atmospheric landscapes and monumental mural work, his career has been shaped by a deep commitment to storytelling through place and myth.
After graduating from Glasgow School of Art in 1993, Nichol embarked on a varied path that included founding several creative ventures, including the commercial fine art company Perfect Circle and Maryhill Art School. He also taught in the continuing education department of GSA for 18 years. Throughout his career, he has taken on roles as artist, arts consultant, and collaborator, working on everything from film and infrastructure projects to bespoke public commissions.
He is perhaps most recognised for his long-standing collaboration with his mentor and hero, the late Alasdair Gray, working alongside him on iconic public works such as the Òran Mór auditorium, the Hillhead mural, and the Western Baths mural. His own notable commissions include a large cycle of murals depicting Tam o’ Shanter at Òran Mór, placing Burns’ fantastical tale within a recognisably Scottish landscape and the ceiling of St Aloysius Church.
Most recently, Nichol served as artist and curator for the ambitious art programme at Stockingfield Bridge in north-west Glasgow. As part of that project, he designed and is now completing Beithir, a 120-metre-long community sculpture inspired by a mythical lightning serpent. When finished, it will be the largest community artwork in Scotland.
Nichol now lives and works from his custom-built countryside studio, continuing to explore the Scottish landscape and its mythologies through paint and public art.