Born in Calgary, Canada, Nick Rooney holds a Master of Arts in Painting from the University of the Arts London (Camberwell College of Arts). Early in his career, he focused on refining traditional oil painting techniques while grounding his contemporary work in art history.

Rooney’s current practice investigates the tension between geometric minimalism and classical realism. He examines how painting—a single medium—can simultaneously create the illusion of depth and realism while embracing the flatness of shape and form. His compositions often remove classical subjects from familiar settings, placing them in abstracted environments defined by balance, pressure, and transition. The resulting friction between realism and minimalism challenges viewers to reconsider how meaning is constructed.

Rooney has exhibited both locally and internationally, including at the Saatchi Gallery’s London Grads Now. His work is part of major collections such as TC Energy, the Calgary Stampede Art Collection at the BMO Centre, and the JR Shaw Institute for Art at the Glenbow.

“My studio practice investigates painting as a visual language capable of producing seemingly contradictory outcomes: the convincing illusion of realism and the stark simplicity of geometric abstraction. Through hard-edge geometric minimalism, I construct environments that embody transition, where tension, pressure, weight, and the search for balance emerge.”