Nicholas Duval-Smith was born and educated in Ōtepoti (Dunedin). He studied at the Otago Polytechnic School of Fine Arts from 1988 to 1990, and again in 2007 and 2008, majoring in sculpture and jewellery. Now based in the Tasman district, Nicholas works from his studio space in Motueka

Nicholas’ creative practice offers opportunities to relax and play with sculpture that moves and lasts. In terms of shapes, he searches for a meeting point between his love for natural form and for simplicity. He makes art that you can attach meaning to and make your own stories with.

"As a young boy, one of my favourite places at home was in our dining room. It had a large window that gave an excellent view across Dunedin’s harbour to the hills on the North side, including Mt Cargill. My favourite viewing time was at dusk, when the hills would form this great dark mass as all the details faded and the horizon above them became sharper. I found this both beautiful and calming. Another thing I loved to do was explore the stream that ran through a gully not far from home, and look at old stones forested with lichens and moss, imagining them huge, with houses and people living there. Natural beauty and playing with scale: these are some of the things I want to invoke with my work." – Nicholas Duval-Smith