Legacy Works

Green is renowned for her powerful storytelling ability and talent for drawing out the essence of her subjects. Green works with families, commercial clients and international figures.

Green’s unique approach to portraiture has enabled her to earn the trust of iconic personalities from the worlds of religion, politics and culture, including collaborations with President Obama, Pope Francis and the Dalai Lama capturing some of the defining moments of our times, as well as intimate legacy portraits of families across the world.

Green creates distinctive and memorable legacy works, which will serve as a living conversation with future generations.

Process

Green’s process is entirely bespoke and unusually collaborative - clients are welcomed into Green’s studio and invited to have as much (or as little) input as they desire. Green works closely with her clients to encapsulate the most important aspects of their life, legacy, history and identity; carefully exploring the intersection of their social and cultural life and heritage, to truly capture their unique story.

Techniques

As a mixed media artist, Green offers clients legacy works in a variety of mediums. Her work combines painting, drawing, collage, silk screen printing, gilding, photography and textile design. Portraits are available in oil, silkscreen, or unique Quasar Frames™.

In the final art work she incorporates the use of non-verbal communication, body language, and semiotics in combination with photographs, family heirlooms, textiles, architecture, and cartography to get to the heart of her subject. Green is often able to communicate visually what people have been unable to articulate with words. When creating legacy works Green often distills complex stories into deceptively simple imagery. As an artist, she brings together her powers of intuition and intellect to truly embody her subject.

Quasar Frames™

Green is the sole inventor of the striking Quasar Frames™ that produce light without the use of power. Green has developed an innovative use of Perspex, which gathers and refracts light, creating a beautiful, ambient glow that emits from the frame’s edge. The result is a dramatic statement which can transform a space, creating a striking focal point. When curated by Green, the Quasar Frames™ create the illusion of internal stained glass. Quasar Frames™ are available exclusively to Green’s clients, and are created working closely with highly skilled British craftspeople and accomplished master artisans.

Family Portrait, London

Painting, silkscreen printing and Gold leaf on perspex in Quasar Frame™

Family Portrait, London

Painting, silkscreen printing and gold leaf on perspex in six Quasar Frames™

Ithaka, 2020

Painting with silk screen printing on edge lit LED panel lightbox and multi-layer 6mm and 3mm Perspex panels with glass paint, acrylic paint, interference acrylic paint and 23 carot caplain gold leaf

Family Portrait, Hamburg

Painting, on giclée with hand applied 23k champagne gold leaf and diamond dust, 308gsm Hahnemuhle

Great Scotland Yard

Great Scotland Yard, the original home of the Metropolitan Police, is one of London’s most cherished and iconic buildings. Located in the historic St James’s district in the heart of Westminster,  the Grade-II listed property has been transformed into a hotel. 

The new owners, in association with Hollandrige Group, asked Nicola Green to create a series of works which would capture the fascinating history of the building. They sought Green out based on her reputation for taking on ambitious projects of social-historical significance. 

Green has drawn out the most important and interesting narratives from the building's rich history, visually telling the story of Scotland Yard and creating a series of works which anchor the project. 

The artwork in Great Scotland Yard showcases some of the best contemporary talent in Britain. Nicola’s work hangs alongside original works by leading artists including Cornelia Parker, Ally Mackie, Ann Carrington, Marcus Hodge and Piers Bourke as well as ceramics and sculpture created by serving prisoners working with The Koestler Trust.

Service

Service is the hotel’s flagship artwork. A bold installation exhibited in the hotel’s entrance hall, this work tells the extraordinary story of Great Scotland Yard through thirty portraits and establishes the narrative and themes that continue throughout the hotel. 

Each portrait has been judiciously selected by Green to tell the multi-layered history of Great Scotland Yard. Through extensive research, Green chose a range of diverse characters including notorious gangsters and infamous criminals, prominent judges, lawyers and politicians, police personnel, literary figures and monarchs from the 12th Century to the present day, who all serve as the embodiment of the incredible history of this London landmark. 

The portraits reference the iconic police ‘mugshot’ and this is accentuated by the curation which is reminiscent of a police station’s ‘rogues gallery’.  Each sitter is a potential suspect, yet simultaneously, Green has taken the traditional medium of portraiture, the archetypal depiction of the rich and powerful, and applied it to members of all social strata, creating an equality of status among her subjects. By representing them in this way Green is blurring the boundaries of identity. Service  is an exploration of gender, race and power, and the preconceptions we hold when we view others. It is also an interrogation of the criminal justice system, and our shifting ideas over time. 

“Great Scotland Yard has a compelling history. The name alone has become synonymous with policing, and probably the most famous law enforcement agency in the world. This led me to so many stories – most of which are already in people’s consciousness – but I also wanted to tell the tales of the unsung heroes, the trailblazers who have fought for a fairer and more equal society.” Nicola Green 

Each portrait has been carefully designed, with varying stages of complexity. Green has experimented with form, reducing visual clues such as profile, gesture and stance to the minimum required to maintain the essence of the sitter. The final result is a deceptively simple portrait, sometimes purely a linear outline or silhouette - yet still recognisable to the viewer. In some of the portraits the faces are masked and all that can be seen is the regalia, sometimes purely a linear outline or silhouette - yet still recognisable to the viewer. Identity boundaries are blurred, creating a space to consider assumed hierarchies, or prejudice about each subject. Each of the striking portraits is encased within a glowing Quasar Frame™- a pioneering and sustainable method of visual communication which produces a beautiful light as if powered by electricity.

Service is a striking feature that will greet guests as they arrive at the hotel and anchors the entire project. Green’s works have contributed to establishing the Great Scotland Yard hotel as a cutting-edge exhibition space, a must-visit destination for art lovers. 

Family Portrait, Sussex

Painting, silkscreen printing and silver leaf on perspex in fifteen Quasar Frames™

This portrait utilises the family’s antique map of the River Thames. It is a reflection of their shared love of the sea, the different cities they have lived in and each family members individual interests. As the children become adults, the work represents the complete journey of their family. Nicola is particularly fond of the Emmanuel Cambridge University Lion which can be seen in the central panel meeting their family dog ‘Otter’ in their driveway!

Family Portrait, NewYork/London

Painting and silkscreen printing on perspex in twelve Quasar Frames™

As an American family whose children had spent the first six years of their life in London, the Davis family commissioned a portrait commemorating those precious early memories. The Davis’ knew their children would not remember much of this special time so Nicola worked with them to make a piece that would remind them forever. The final work is a portrait of London and a memento of their life there.

A map of London forms the foundation of the portrait. This highlights the places in which the family lived and worked. Nicola photographed the family in the playground in which they had spent countless hours and both children can be seen swinging and playing across the map! The father and son can be seen scaling the side of Big Ben reflecting their love of climbing. The family are keen travellers so mother and daughter are seen sightseeing in Trafalgar Square. These elements come together to create a portrait that will honour the memory of these formative years in London.

Family Portrait, London

Drawing and silkscreen printing on perspex in twelve Quasar Frames™

This portrait incorporates three-colour silkscreen prints hand-printed onto Perspex and mounted in Quasar Frames. It is composed of 12 panels - each carefully chosen to reflect the family and their home. This includes four traditional portraits. The other panels make architectural reference to the family home that Glen Charles designed and built as well as his highly successful property development business. The design utilises the family’s shoes which are placed underneath rows of bricks and other architectural details  taken from all the homes that they have built together.

Individual Portrait, Caribbean

Painting and silkscreen printing on perspex in a Quasar Frame™

Olympic Portrait

In 2011, in honour of the 2012 London Olympic Games, Green was commissioned by the Cultural Olympiad to create a portrait of the 24 Olympic sports and Lord Sebastian Coe.

Green researched the power and impact of the Olympic legacy, particularly the symbolism of the Olympic torch and its’ never-ending light. This inspired her to create an artwork which would also serve as a sustainable light source. Green developed the Quasar Frame™ - a pioneering frame with a dual functionality as a method of displaying images and as a sustainable no-carbon source of light. Images or text are presented in a frame which emits a remarkable light, as if powered by electricity. However this glow is created by the internal refraction of light through multiple layers of Perspex and requires no use of electricity or power other than from ambient light. Nicola Green Ltd is the sole inventor, producer and supplier of this unique and environmentally friendly product.

Green created a series of twenty four images of the Olympic sports on different coloured, glowing Quasar Frames™. These images were so impressive and novel that they were commissioned commercially by John Lewis Partnership and sold in 2012-13 online and in their stores during the Olympic year. JLP also commissioned a large image of all twenty four Olympic sports, and a portrait of Lord Coe, for their Olympic Room at the Stratford store overlooking the Olympic Park. Tourists continue to go to the Stadium Suite and photograph themselves in front of the “image of the Olympics, which glows without power”.

Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks

A Tribute to Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks  

“When Nicola first approached me about this project, I was a little reluctant. In general Judaism is sceptical about appearances. Worshipping the invisible God, Judaism tended to devalue the visual in favour of covenants and the oral and aural: words heard rather than appearances seen. We are, after all, the People of the Book. Yet as Nicola explained her rationale for the project, I began to see its value. She spoke of how she wanted to witness faith and gain an insight into how we understand, respect and defend other religions without compromising the absolute truth of our own. I was also struck by her passion for the project and had the privilege to see this first-hand as she joined me and my team on visits to the Vatican for an audience with Pope Benedict XVI, and then to Jerusalem, New York and many other interfaith events I attended as Chief Rabbi. What I learned from her observations of me and the discussions we had was how she saw the events she attended: the body language, the small gestures, stances, the semiotics, the choreography and the value of what Nicola described as “the embodied experience”. At the unveiling of her portrait of me for the Jewish Museum I was struck by the blue in the background, which Nicola called “Chief Rabbi Blue”. This is because blue is a very symbolic colour in Judaism. It was at the time of the Exodus, as the Israelites were about to cross the Red Sea, that Moses looked not outwards across the water, but upwards towards the heavens, to God, to the sky which was blue. For Jews, blue represents the divinity and wisdom of God. That is what it means to truly see.”-Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, from Encounters: The Art of Interfaith Dialogue

In 2013, to mark the retirement of the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth, Nicola Green was asked to create a portrait of Jonathan Sacks to celebrate his legacy after 22 years in office.

Gaining incredible insight into the life and work of the Chief Rabbi Sacks, the artist was privileged to spend time travelling with him to interfaith meetings around the world, witnessing leadership events, educational ceremonies, and receptions in Jerusalem, Rome and Washington DC. 

Green’s observations were recorded in the form of notes, sketches and photographs, and the composition, colour, layout and technique of the portrait is a distillation of hundreds of moments, images and impressions. But ultimately, the final portrait was made using a simple, contemplative shot taken in the Galil, Israel.

The Portrait of Rabbi Sacks is a limited edition five-colour silkscreen print with water-based and metallic ink on cotton paper, each signed and dated by the artist.

This work is a celebration of Rabbi Lord Sacks’ 22 years in office, his intellectual and spiritual contribution to the UK and global community, and his thoughtfulness, spirituality, humility and grace. It was unveiled at a special ceremony celebrating the Chief Rabbi’s retirement on the 29th October 2013 at the Jewish Museum in London, and remained on display alongside a selection of photos and sketches as well as a commemorative book.

It was donated to the Jewish Museum by Laura and Barry Townsley and commissioned by members of the British Jewry; Barry Townsley, David Rubin, Jarvis Astaire, Lord Kalms, David Buchler and others.

“The most inspiring talk I’ve ever heard on the relationship of faith and creativity was an extemporised talk by Rabbi Lord Sacks. He talked about how creativity is not just literally an act of faith but is also a daily practice of faith. Although the chief is internationally known for his words, I was very struck by how all his words begin in silence and prayer, so this portrait is not just a portrait of the chief, but a meditation on prayer, silence, and communication with G-d. I hope that it inspires our own reflection on silence and prayer. The final point Rabbi Sacks made in his talk on faith and creativity was about risk, and the relationship between creative risk and the risk of faith. I want to thank Rabbi Sacks, and all his staff, for the risk they took and the faith they had in me.” Nicola Green

Family Portrait, London/Manchester

Silkscreen printing on cotton paper Somerset 410gsm

Double Portrait, London/USA

Painting, silkscreen printing and diamond dust on cotton paper Somerset 410gsm

These portraits combine hand-painting, drawing, silk screen printing and photography. They have been designed to fit in harmoniously with the client’s existing eclectic art collection -  encompassing diverse pieces ranging from classic oil paintings to modern Alex Katz portraits.

Portrait of Elle Macpherson

“I have never done anything quite like this before. It was an amazing and positive experience. The portrait is not just about me, but about the power of the female form”. Elle Macpherson

In 2013, Nicola Green painted the first ever life-size portrait of Australian supermodel, Elle Macpherson. The portrait was revealed in a special private view at the Australian High Commission, in the presence of the Australian High Commissioner, His Excellency, The Honourable Mike Rann and the model herself on the 19 November 2013.

The Australian High Commissioner, Mike Rann said: “Elle Macpherson has forged an incredible career both in the UK and Australia and is one of Australia’s most recognizable faces. She is a global icon in the world of clothing and business. Elle is an Australian success story and an inspiration to many young Australians”.

Green says of her task to portray the supermodel: “I knew very early on that I would make a life-size full-length portrait, to reflect not just Elle’s height, but also her unique physical presence. This is a portrait of a woman who has had that remarkable silhouette since she strode onto the public stage as a teenager, who retains a lovely innocence in her face, but who has matured and changed greatly within. Elle and I wanted this portrait to show her as I see her, not as the public knows her from thousands of glossy photos.”

Green began by taking informal photos of Elle to capture her dynamic personality and roles as: mother, supermodel and businesswoman. Between photography sessions, Green drew and continued her research. Green’s ultimate plan was not to focus on facial expression, but to use posture and gesture to reveal the essence of what it is to be a strong woman. 

Green’s oil portrait of Elle influenced the creation of four life-size silhouette prints, entitled The Body. Each of the two-colour prints allowed Green to explore the essence of female energy and power.

Family Portrait, London/Manchester

Silkscreen printing on cotton paper Somerset 410gsm

This portrait was commissioned to celebrate Sir Alex Fergusons’ 70th birthday. The family originally wanted an oil painting but after lots of discussion everyone agreed a silk-screen print would better capture the family and their abundance of energy. The background colours were carefully mixed to reflect their South African heritage and the time they have spent in Africa as a family. The grandchildren chose the football specifically as it was a treasured memento from the Champions League.

Individual and Family Portraits

Oil Painting on panel