British Artist’s Oil Paintings Reflect the Subtle Intimacy of American Life: A Conversation

British-born, New York-based artist Nigel Van Wieck captures personal human moments that make viewers feel like observers, peering into the private lives of others. A self-described storyteller and American Realist, Van Wieck paints what he observes, drawing inspiration from the bars, street corners, stations, and beaches across the U.S.

From a spontaneous family portrait to a serene scene of a man awaiting a train, each of Van Wieck’s oil paintings reflects his fascination with how people navigate daily life. Each vivid artwork resonates through the artist’s skill in capturing light, transforming ordinary moments into cinematic canvases that encourage viewers to ponder the narratives within them.

Van Wieck’s wife, Sandra, oversees his Instagram account, which boasts over 37,000 followers. Many of the artist’s admirers are millennials, attracted by his genuine and relatable representations of everyday life. One particular piece, named Q Train, has been shared extensively. It portrays a young woman slumped in the orange seats of New York City’s Q train.

“In Q Train, I aimed to depict despair; I think I achieved it perfectly,” Van Wieck shares. “At some point in our lives, we’ve all been in that situation, and because I captured it accurately, people have connected with that specific image.”

We recently contacted Van Wieck to learn more about his art and creative processes. Continue reading for My Modern Met’s exclusive interview.

What makes a scene worth painting to you?

Several factors contribute. One is the light, another is the geometry of what I observe, or it could be a situation developing before me. For instance, I was once in a bar enjoying drinks with a friend at the end of the night when a couple entered and sat at a table. They got inebriated, then had a quarrel; the girl ended up passing out. The man got up and abandoned her on the table. I never forgot that night; years later, a model in my studio wore a dress reminiscent of that evening. I covered a table with a sheet and instructed the model to lay down; I began working on my painting, Closing Time.

You spent a decade creating neon-based kinetic art before returning to painting. Can you describe how that experience continues to influence your work today?

It provided me with an understanding of light and a motivation to paint. When I decided to return to painting, I found myself staring at a blank canvas wondering what to create. One day, I randomly opened a book on Vermeer, and it fell to a double-page spread of The Allegory of Painting. Immediately, I recognized that Vermeer painted light; I understood light from my kinetic experiences and realized that was my route back to painting. I began a painting the next day titled The Skirt.

Which artists or filmmakers have inspired you and your work?

There are numerous influences; image-making can be either straightforward or intricate, but the key factor is that it visually succeeds. Artists who effectively utilize light capture my particular interest. For example, the Hudson River School painters of the 19th century, alongside the Impressionists as well as Caravaggio, Vermeer, Hopper, and Sloan, all utilized natural light in their works.

I have a fondness for film noir, which influences my painting style. There’s a cinema in Newport, RI; entering it feels like stepping into the past. I always wanted to paint it but hesitated, thinking it might resemble an Edward Hopper piece too closely. Then I considered why not; I’d use noir lighting and create my interpretation of Hopper’s New York Movie. The result was After the Gig.

Can you walk us through how a painting typically evolves—from that initial spark to the final piece?

I am quite fluid in how I create images. They emerge from my imagination. I use photographs as reminders of how something appears or how the light interacts, and I utilize live models, but nothing is assured to remain in the painting; they undergo constant reinvention.

Once, I painted children playing cards on the beach, then removed them to feature a lifeguard who became the work’s focal point. Years later, I reviewed photographs of the painting in progress when the children were still included and realized it was a mistake to erase them. So, I began another painting and created Hearts on the Beach.

How do you use digital tools alongside painting?

At the end of each day, I photograph my painting. I then upload it to the computer and continue working on it there. The benefit of this is that it accelerates my workflow. As I mentioned earlier, my pieces are very fluid, and oil paint takes some time to dry. Erasing a figure or adding one takes time, but on a computer using Photoshop, I can accomplish that in seconds, and the adjustments I make digitally are then incorporated into the painting the following day.