About

Kanj Nicholas is a multi-disciplinary visual artist, illustrator, author, and arts educator based in Wolverhampton, UK. Her work is deeply influenced by her Sri Lankan heritage and her training in textile design in Australia, which inform her love of bold colour, texture, and pattern.

Kanj’s art draws inspiration from the natural world and the landscapes she inhabits, spanning mediums including watercolour, acrylic, oil painting, and felted textile art. Her work often explores the connections between communities and stories, weaving themes of human interaction and shared experience into her compositions.

As an experienced Arts Educator, Kanj delivers creative workshops to diverse audiences, working with community groups and organisations to inspire creativity and expression in both children and adults. Her passion for fostering imagination extends to her role as an author and illustrator. In 2024, she published Imagine If We Could Fly, a children’s book supported by Arts Council England. The book is a vibrant celebration of curiosity, encouraging young readers to think beyond boundaries, colour outside the lines, and embrace creativity fearlessly.

A woman with short curly red hair wearing a blue top and orange apron, smiling in front of colorful abstract paintings and surrounded by plants.

Kanj Nicholas’s work bridges the gap between art and community, storytelling and connection, creating a vibrant tapestry of creativity that inspires and uplifts.

Kanj’s recent projects include her involvement in the ‘Classroom as Studio’ initiative, where she mentors primary school teachers to adopt contemporary, bold, and risk-taking approaches to art-making, and envision the classroom as a creative studio. She also collaborated on Kindness Is Free – Let’s Pass It On, an art-science project commissioned by Creative Black Country in conjunction with the British Art Show 2022.

With four solo exhibitions and participation in numerous group shows, Kanj is working towards an exhibition exploring her Sri Lankan roots.

Colorful painting of a lively garden scene with people, animals, and vibrant plants, displayed on an easel surrounded by indoor plants and decorative objects.
Two women looking at colorful yarn and a brush on a table, smiling and engaging in a craft activity in a brightly lit room.
Watercolor painting supplies on a wooden table outdoors, with a garden and a wooden shed in the background.
Quote about Kanji Nicholas by Julia Timmins on a yellow background.
A quote from Danielle Campbell, a Participation Officer at Flexus Dance Collective, about their project Sky’s the Limit, on a yellow background with blue and red text.
A quote in blue text on a yellow background praising Kanj's artistic work, with the name Holly Pleyddell, Creative Consultant, in red text below.