Nicholas was a student of Chelsea Art School, followed by the Slade School of Fine Art. He was immersed in the radical period of the sixties, visiting New York and meeting Andy Warhol and designing classical record covers in Paris, one for Edith Piaf.
At Chelsea, Elizabeth Frink, Robert Clatworthy and Edward Middleditch were among Nicholas' tutors. At the Slade he studied painting under Sir William Coldstream, Lucien Freud, Robert Medley and Nicolas Giordiadis.
Nicholas became a set designer for the television show Ready Steady Go! His backdrops featured in the Art in the Sixties exhibition at Tate Britain amongst others.
Nicholas' contacts with the Beatles during the sixties led to his directing films in the seventies for Paul McCartney, Elton John, David Bowie and Marc Bolan. Nicholas now lives in Isleworth where he devotes himself to painting in his new studio.
Nicholas also directed drama for TV, ‘Between Men’ by Doris Lessing, several plays by Fay Weldon. Directed ‘Coronation Street ‘ amongst many other shows and recently ‘Hollyoaks’.