"I find inspiration by taking walks in the city. It’s always changing, and between the movement of people, animals, cars, light, and shifting points of view, you get chance encounters."

Artist Nick Savides celebrates the beauty of nature and humanity in his urban landscape paintings. His realist depictions of New York convey moments that feel intimate and timeless. Taught by his mother, he learned how to paint and draw at an early age. In college Nick decided to make a career as an artist, going against his parents' wish for him to become a doctor. He now paints in his home studio in Brooklyn. When not doing art, Nick enjoys reading, walking, and doing photography.

In this interview, Nick shares about his artistic journey, creative process, and his love for New York.

Please tell us about yourself.

I live and work in Brooklyn, New York, across from Prospect Park. Aside from painting and being part of the New York art scene, I volunteer with an organization called ArtWorks NYC, where we teach art literacy to third- and fourth-grade students in public schools who might not have much exposure to the arts or museums. I also enjoy taking walks in the city, doing photography, reading, watching movies, and listening to music and podcasts.

What are you most proud of—whether in art or another part of your life?

I’m proud to be a father. Being an artist is both amazing and a privilege—but also humbling.

Do you have any studio rituals that help you get into a creative flow?

I have some practical studio rituals, like turning on the lights, getting the palette ready with fresh paint, and pouring out paint thinner. But most importantly, I decide what I’ll be working on that day.

How do you structure your day?

I structure my day around painting with natural light, supplemented by artificial light—something I couldn’t do when I had a day job and had to paint at night. I like to take care of non-painting activities first, so I don’t have to think about them during my morning and afternoon studio sessions.

Where do you find inspiration for your art?

I find inspiration by taking walks in the city. It’s always changing, and between the movement of people, animals, cars, light, and shifting points of view, you get chance encounters. What looks uninspiring one day—or even one moment—might look incredible the next. And vice versa.

Tell us about your evolution as an artist.

Early on, I made mostly narrative paintings from my imagination, but I soon found I was more inspired by the outside world: painting landscapes, cityscapes, and interiors with figures, working on site and from drawings. I was always interested in the effects of light. Over time, I began incorporating digital techniques into the design process.

How do you decide when an artwork is finished?

Each painting goes through stages of evolution, and every stage has both a creative and a problem-solving component. In the final stage, I focus on identifying any remaining issues, finding solutions, and making final adjustments. At some point, it just looks right—there’s nothing left to fix.

What is the most interesting observation someone has made about your work?

The author and gallerist Val Schaffner once wrote, “Beyond the carefully rendered beauty, complexity, and calm of his art, there is mystery: a sense of something about to be discovered.”

Is there an artwork from another artist that has had a significant impact on you?

Being exposed to so much art, it’s hard to single out one piece that has had a major impact on me. But perhaps seeing Picasso’s Guernica as a boy, when it was on loan to the Museum of Modern Art.

What’s your favorite museum? 

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City is my favorite museum. I go there for inspiration. It has an incredible permanent collection of artwork from throughout history and around the world. There’s always something new and interesting to explore—and being in the city, it’s easy to get to.

Is there anything else you’d like to share to help viewers better understand your work?

When you look at my urban landscape paintings, you might assume they’re recorded like a photograph—but really, it’s more like starting with a blank canvas and deciding what elements of a scene to include, what to add, and what needs to happen to support the composition.