projects
I’m Nick Lewis, a multidisciplinary artist driven by curiosity, resourcefulness, and a desire to make ideas visible. My practice moves fluidly across drawing, illustration, installation, digital design, and storytelling—guided not by medium, but by the problem at hand.
Whether I’m creating live caricatures in public spaces, reinterpreting historical narratives for museums, or crafting bespoke visual solutions for clients, my approach is always grounded in listening, experimentation, and adaptability. I thrive on challenges that require lateral thinking and enjoy finding unexpected routes through complex briefs.
Over the years, I’ve worked across visual art, design, performance, and community engagement. This broad base lets me draw from a diverse toolkit to meet the unique needs of each project—whether that’s making the invisible visible, the complicated understandable, or the ordinary extraordinary.
If you’re looking for creative collaboration, visual storytelling, or a fresh perspective on your project, I’d love to hear from you.
Castle Gardens, Lisburn - 'map'
2024. Digital illustration/photo montage.
‘Castle Gardens’. Map. 2024 Copyright: Nicholas Lewis
The Map is Not the Territory
What began in the summer of 2023 as a hastily scribbled list—jotted down in the midst of Castle Gardens’ quiet allure—gradually evolved over six months into a kind of map. While it centres on the historically significant gardens, its reach extends to the Market House (now the Irish Linen Centre and Lisburn Museum) and Lisburn Cathedral, St. Nicholas’.
As I delved deeper into the gardens’ history, tracing dates and details, I found that this knowledge, while enriching, began to dull the enchantment of my initial experience. So, I stepped back from factual precision and turned instead to capturing the spirit of the place—its character and vitality—through a more pictorial lens.
Though loosely anchored in geography, my creation is meant to serve as both guide and enigma—a map whose twists and turns wander through both time and imagination. By embracing a playful interpretation of the park’s landscape, I’ve woven symbolism and metaphor into its form, allowing the stories it holds to breathe freely, unbound by the constraints of traditional maps or timelines.
Above and below: Details taken from the map at various stages of development.
I had thought that perhaps I should provide a companion guide to aid in unraveling the many references embedded within the ‘map,’ I’ve opted instead (save for some subtle cues within the image) to leave the joy of discovery to the viewer. I have, instead, provided a (nearly) complete list of people, places and things included within the map.
I encourage each curious mind to embark on an exploration of this captivating little corner of the world, allowing the thrill of wonder and revelation to become uniquely their own.
- Peron Garden
- Lisburn Fire
- East Castle Gate
- Bomb Shelter
- Sir Robert’s Oak
- Richard Wallace
- River Lagan
- Lady Jane Finch
- Egan Harp
- Flora and Bird Species
- Forbes, McDonald & Coote
Referenced within the map, in no particular order:
- Crimean Cannon
- Lillian Metge
- Louis Crommelin
- Conway Family
- Conn O’Neill
- Wallace Fountain
- Market House
- Henry Munro
- Egret Fountain
- United Irishmen
- Peace Monument
Snake Charmer Basket
2021. Oak log. Hessian string. Flexible metal rod.
Originally planned as a snake charmer’s basket sat on a tree stump and carved from a single piece of Oak. Later, the basket became a base for an articulated ‘cobra’ lamp arm. However, after much experimentation trying to carve a cobra head shade for the bulb, I failed to find a satisfactory design solution that would provided a pleasing quality of light, and I eventually abandoned the idea.
Early process images of the basket and an example of a simple ‘shrink’ pot, both hewn from a single piece of wood.
The ‘Basket’ in its present manifestation.
D-Day Posters. Lisburn Museum.
2024. Digital illustration.
In 2024 I was commissioned by Lisburn Museum and the Irish Linen Centre to create an illustrated poster as part of their Travelling Museum programme, marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
The poster focused on two key innovations developed during the Second World War: the LCA (Landing Craft Assault) and the Horsa Airspeed Glider. These vehicles were instrumental in the success of Allied operations, and my illustrations aimed to educate viewers while also capturing the dramatic context of their use. Designed to be both informative and visually striking, the piece helped bring the story of these pioneering machines to life for a wide audience.
Handhole Stone. Antrim - Terrarium
2025. Closed terrarium. Mixed media.
