Painter, draughtsman and teacher, of Lancastrian background. He studied at Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts and Royal College of Art. His winning of the Prix de Rome – one of many prizes and awards – led to membership of the painting faculty of the British School in Rome. In 1976 Nickson moved to America and became Harkness Fellow at Yale and later a Howard Foundation Fellow in Fine Art at Brown University. Was eventually made dean of the New York Studio School. Nickson’s work was included in many museum group shows in Europe and America and he had one-man exhibitions ranging from the William Benton Museum of Art, Connecticut, to Hirschl and Adler Modern, New York. His strikingly bold beachscapes with figures were featured in a show at Albemarle Gallery, London, in 1989.