Biography
I am Nathan Downie, (Nashīnasu ナシーナス), a multidisciplinary, multi-award-winning artist with autism, based in England. Since 2020, I’ve used paints and graphite to create re-imaginings of our world, blending animation, surrealism, and gestural painting to challenge perspectives and invite viewers to experience reality in new, transformative ways.
My journey as an artist began in childhood with a love for animation, particularly the works of Studio Ghibli and Disney. Drawing became a therapeutic escape, a space that still uplifts me today. Encouraged by my teachers at Wallington Boys School, I developed my unique artistic voice, drawing inspiration from artists like Stephen Wiltshire and Salvador Dalí.
Building on these influences, I combined my passion for music, anime, and Japanese culture with my art. I earned a Level 2 Diploma in Art & Design from Nescot College, a Fine Art Diploma from The Art Academy, London Bridge, and completed their Postgraduate Programme. My work today reflects a fusion of these experiences, inviting viewers to engage with the world through fresh eyes, influenced by anime, Studio Ghibli, and Japanese artists like Yayoi Kusama and Hayao Miyazaki.
My art has been recognized internationally, featured in numerous exhibitions across the UK, US, Japan, and South Korea. I’ve received accolades including the Collector's Art Prize (2023), Persona Art Honours (2024), and the International Prize PHOENIX for the Arts (2024), and was named one of the Top 100 Influential People of 2025 (2024). My work has also been added to private collections.
As an artist, I am committed to inspiring change, challenging perspectives, and celebrating individuality through my work.
Accolades
2024
Global Art Virtuoso: Elite Artistic Career Achievement Award
International Prize PHOENIX for the Arts Winner
2025 Visionaries: Artists Shaping The Future. Creative Catalysts for Change
Persona Art Honours
The Best Contemporary Masters
10X Certified by Grant Cardone Technologies
Top 100 Influential People 2025
2023
Collector's Art Prize
Tokyo Tower Art Fair 2023
2015
Joint-runner up in The Drawing Prize at The Art Academy.
2012
The Seoyun Jung Memorial Award for Endeavour
2011
Jack Petchey Award For “Outstanding Achiever” for Music and Art.
Art Drawing Competition
Artist Statement
My artistic practice is a deep exploration of the intangible, where past experiences, iconic cultural imagery, and the subtle complexities of human emotion converge. While I am a multidisciplinary artist, working across pastels, photography, and other mediums, my core practice centers on acrylic and oil painting, as well as graphite pencil. These materials come to life on diverse surfaces, including canvas, medium-density fibreboard (MDF), and paper, through which I investigate the world around us and invite viewers to see it through new eyes.
The distinctive style of my work reflects my profound connection to anime, manga, Studio Ghibli, and Japanese culture. Influences from legendary figures like Hayao Miyazaki, Toshio Suzuki, Hiroyuki Morita, Salvador Dalí, and Yayoi Kusama have profoundly shaped my creative journey. Their visionary approaches have led me to develop my own practice, one that blurs the line between reality and the abstract.
In my work, color, space, and light converge to form vignettes that are cinematic in scope, yet rooted in the emotional truth of the human experience. There is an invisible energy within my art, an uncontrollable force that remains beyond our understanding, yet it offers hope and insight. My gestural brushstrokes convey a sense of unrelenting movement, a visual reflection of constant change.
Early in my career, my works were grounded in abstracted surrealist landscapes and still lifes, evolving into the dynamic portraiture that marks my practice today. This development led to the creation of my signature technique: the use of "light particles." Inspired by the work of Yayoi Kusama, I carefully incorporate these particles into my compositions, intensifying the drama and emotional atmosphere of each piece. The interplay of light and shadow, the push and pull of illumination, transforms the familiar into something unfamiliar, leaving distinctions vague and open for personal interpretation.
In a body of work that straddles the tangible and the ethereal, I invite viewers to reflect on the mysteries of existence, the nature of perception, and the very essence of our being. Through this process, I aim to transcend the limits of conventional understanding, encouraging those who encounter my art to challenge their perspectives and embark on a journey of self-discovery. Every brushstroke, every light particle, is a step toward embracing the unknown, finding meaning in the ambiguity, and celebrating the transformative power of art.
Publication Features
2025
Top 100 Influential People 2025 - January 2025 (Coming Soon)
Vogue Magazine "New Faces" April 2025 Issue
2024
The Best Contemporary Masters 2024 - Effetto Arte Fondazione (July 2024)
Persona Art Honours - Contemporary Art Station (July 2024)
International Prize PHOENIX for the Arts - Effetto Arte Fondazione (Jun 22, 2024)
Contemporary Celebrity Masters - Effetto Arte Fondazione (Jun 22, 2024)
Onboart Exhibition - Contemporary Art Station (Jun 12, 2024)
Noble Art Conversations Exclusive Interview - Contemporary Art Collectors Magazine (May 31, 2024)
2025 Visionaries: Artists Shaping The Future. Creative Catalysts for Change - Contemporary Art Curator Magazine (May 24, 2024)
The Luxury Collection of Contemporary Artistry - Contemporary Art Collectors Magazine (May 2, 2024)
2023
Collector's Art Prize Interview - Contemporary Art Curator Magazine (Mar 30, 2023)
Artist Catalogue Website - Contemporary Art Collectors Magazine
2015
“Artist Of The Week” – Artistopus Magazine, 9th November 2015 http://artistsopus.com
http://artistsopus.com/uncategorized/artist-of-the-week-nathan-downie/
Exhibitions
2026
LA Art Show - February 2026 (Upcoming Event)
2025
Vogue Manhattan 2025 - April 2025 (Upcoming Event)
Artexpo New York - April 2025 (Upcoming Event)
Hamptons Fine Art Fair - July 2025 (Upcoming Event
Red Dot Miami - December 2025 (Upcoming Event)
2024
Group
Onboart Exhibition, July 1st - July 31st 2024
2023
Group
Planet Future, April 1st - September 2023
Group
Tokyo Tower Art Fair, 10th March 2023 – 12th March 2023
2022
Group
Pretty Perv Exhibition 28th September 2022 – 4th October 2022
Group
Guardians Of Dreams Exhibition 28th October 2022 – 3rd November 2022
Group
Brain Cake Exhibition 28th December 2022 – 3rd January 2023
2021
Solo
30 Drawings In 10 Weeks Challenge 13th June 2021 – 13th July 2021
2019
Solo ^
The Christmas Market, 1st December
Solo
“The Forrest Arts Agency Ltd”, 6th July 2019 – 20th July 2019
Group
“Post Graduate Exhibition” Hidden Worlds / My Story Of Events, 8th February 2019 – 14th February 2019
2018
Solo
“My Story Of Events, Late Night Moods And Flashbacks” The Norbury Methodist Church “Bazaar”, 1st December 2018
2017
Group
Constellation Exhibition, 18th December 2017 – 6th January 2018
Group
“Surreal And Imaginary Series”, “Graduate Show Exhibition” At The Art Academy, 5th July – 9th July 2017
2016
Group
`’Sky” “Two Years In” Group Show At Menier Gallery, 21st June 2016 – 25th June 2016
2015
Solo
The Norbury Methodist Church Summer Exhibition, 29th August 2015 – 30th August 2015