Just when you think you've seen it all and in danger of becoming indifferent to your appreciation of the visual arts, an exhibition like this one comes along to reawaken all the reasons why you are addicted to good painting. Be warned, it takes awhile to get beyond the sheer beauty of the painted surface before you can begin to investigate the underlying layers. But take the time, you'll be amply rewarded for doing so.

Nicholas's work references the imperial mind-set of intrepid sailors, and how the business aspects of Discovery influenced their perception of Asia-Pacific culture. Inspiration for these works was drawn from illustrative engravings and journals of 18th century explorers, indeed some images incorporate excerpts from old maps, references to star charts, Oriental calendars and official signatures, written in flourishing Old English script.

While exploring these large mixed media canvases you'll discover interesting and unknown treasures. Look deep into the works, through lush surfaces of oil, ink, shellac, gold and silver leaf on canvas, and you'll find a variety of objects from eyelets and upholstery nails to batteries and a circuit board. For example, if you peer into Untitled (twomoongenie) and go beyond the one black and two pale silver circles, you'll notice Tahitian words, delicate swirls of gold and silver paint wearing tiny black dots, a Chinese seal stamped in red ink, and the artist's written comment 'you wish you could do this'. Yes, I do!

Equally beautiful albeit more serious in it's message, is the diptych Untitled (goodgod) where the mottled golden ground hosts silver lines that radiate from one circle to connect it with others. Floating over it all, almost spilling off the canvases, are the words 'Good God' painted in large black script. Two other comments are made, painted to emulate an electronic text message. One reads 'What a feeling' while the other pleads 'God save us from us'.

Also appreciated are the 'microplates', small panels that are able to maintain an equal sense of importance and grandeur as found in the larger works. All the exhibits, large and small, are serious works of art with words of wisdom and fanciful thoughts, secretly swimming just beneath the syrupy surface.

In previous interpretations of his theme 'Transactions', Nicholas elaborated on the idea of art as an object of trade and the gallery as a place of worship &/or business. In this incarnation, the Transaction is "what you see on the wall" and as such, the artist invites us to make of the work what we want or need. I found what I was looking for.