Nick Economo

Nick Economo
I was born on the Greek Island of Rhodes – an ideal environment to nurture my precocious artistic talent. At the age of eight my family moved from our native land to settle in Perth where I continued my education. On leaving school I pursued a range of jobs however my artistic instincts and desire to achieve professional fulfilment in a related field were never far away.

In 1971 curiosity enticed me to view the Rodin exhibition which inspired me and armed me with the courage to enrol in Perth’s College of Fine Art, while at the same time being only too aware that I had by then a young family to support. Equipped with additional knowledge and skills, instinct, passion, determination, a combination of trepidation and confidence I had many of the important assets - however unsure if I had the correct balance to pursue a professional art career successfully.

In the following years I progressed to eventually produce some spectacular sculptures using clay, depicting some of my favourite subjects - exotic water birds which I had observed and being enthralled by in earlier years while travelling and working in the remote North West of Australia. As time progressed I also worked with bronze and broadened my range of subjects to include simply elegant pieces such as ballerinas, gymnasts as well as functional items With my sculptures being such a success and much sought after I then to utilised my skills to expand my talents and maintain the fulfilment I had achieved so I intermittently turned to painting, producing landscapes of the North West. Gradually I derived as much satisfaction from this as I did sculpting and eventually the roles reversed in that I eventually spent more time painting, today I am predominantly focussed on painting.

With my main subject now being various species of flowers, I nevertheless continue to be motivated, exploring my imagination to create abstracts and landscapes. Art collectors who enjoy uninhibited styles of art using rich vibrant mediums tell me they derive as much pleasure from my pieces as I do in creating them which I find tremendously satisfying. My work can be found in collections in Australia and throughout the world, Greece, Holland, Hong Kong, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, UK & USA,

Awards
1st Prize (Sculpture) Wanneroo Arts Centre, 1992
1st Prize (Painting) The Matilda Art Festival 1987
Numerous highly commended awards

Solo Exhibitions
Accent Gallery, Perth
Central Park, St George’s Terrace, Perth

Cheese Factory, Balingup
Burswood Resort, Perth
Fusion Fine Arts, Mandurah
Hyatt Hotel, Perth
LK Galleries, Perth
Valley View Gallery, Swan Valley

Feature Artist
Gallery 360, Subiaco
Mazenod College, Lesmurdie
St Mark’ School, Hillarys
Trinity College

Mixed Exhibitions:
Artitude, Telethon Speech & Hearing
Cystic Fibrosis Association
Hale College
La Salle College
Newman College
Special Army Reserves Services
Guildford Grammar

Sponsor and supporter of:
3 Boys Legacy Inc
Dialysis and Renal Transplant Group, Perth
Kidney Health Australia
Renal Society of Australasia, WA branch
Starlight Children’s Foundation, Perth
Telethon Speech & Hearing, Perth
Cancer Centre St John of God Hospital, Subiaco, Perth
Special Air Service Regiment