Figurative Painter | Nicasio Fernandez

Aug 6, 2025
3 min read

Updated: Sep 27, 2025

Fernandez's paintings are characterized by their surreal and playful tone, drawing inspiration from film noir, everyday life, and the human experience.

Words Khaya Mnisi

“I’m an artist born, raised and still living in NY. When I got into painting it was my junior year of high school, that first experience of bringing something out of my mind and onto a canvas, seeing it take shape before me, set off all the alarms that I was going to focus in on this.”

Q: There is a strong sense of surrealism and playfulness throughout your work. Where does that come from?

NF: When I was in first grade my art teacher saw me drawing Bugs Bunny and she told me that it was copyright infringement to draw someone’s else’s things. I didn’t know what she meant but her tone shook me enough that I just let my mind not be restricted. Fast forward to today I continually look at a lot of different types of paintings for the satisfaction, to gather information and to grow as a painter.

Q: How has your artwork changed from the beginning of your career to now?

NF: My work has continued to evolve over the years as I’ve been diligent to not remain stagnant. This allows a newness to enter the paintings, processing negative situations into positive outputs and expressing myself in that moment which leads to development.

I think the biggest change over time has been this quietness taking charge from the loudness I started off with. It’s been a process of refining and adding restrictions, growing into more subtle nuances that have to be searched for and not given as easily.

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Q: Which artists have had a big influence on your work?

NF: When I first came across Expressionism, it provided so much information for how to visually approach painting and with such emotional potency, giving my work a foundation and source of inspiration.

Q: What advice would you give to someone who is at the beginning of their career as an artist?

NF: Don’t let outside noise be a barricade, stay interested in challenging and evolving yourself and the work.

Q: Who is an under-rated artist people should be looking at?

NF: Digging through history we see a lot of artists have been under appreciated. I think people should be looking at art from different perspectives and times just in general.

“Art - It’s a supplement that fulfills you in ways that other things can’t.”

Painting: Come on down/2025. Oil on Linen

Q: What’s next on the horizon for you and what ideas are you really into currently?

NF: I’ve been working on a solo show for Berggruen Gallery of small, quiet paintings that I refer to as Whispers. My approach to making small works is that it needs to have a place of their own, not to be seen as a sketch or study for something larger. They might produce a structure I want to bounce off of but they have to stand in their own space. These paintings are inspired moments and feelings from watching film noir, the low key light and the psychological intensity that’s built up right before snapping.