New Contemporaries 2026
Nicole Mackintosh
Nicole is a proud Aberdonian and graduate of Gray’s School, of Art. Encouraged by her selection for the New Contemporaries and receiving a Special Recognition Award from the school at her degree show, she has committed to furthering her education through studying for a Master’s.
She considers herself a true painter, having committed her education to exploring, developing and refining her skillset. While a challenging commitment to make in such a beautifully diverse and multidisciplinary art school, the artist feels most at peace with brush in hand.
Her practice, at its roots, is a celebration of life. Through the processing of grief and a deeper understanding of her working-class upbringing, Nicole has come to appreciate life’s most fleeting moments. She finds it key to highlight the importance of truly loving the people and pleasures that we are lucky enough to have in our lives and does so through the act of painting them.