Born in Carolina in Mpumalanga, Nicky Leigh grew up in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa and was a fourth generation member of the Everhard group of artists. She lived with her husband, Denholm Haden, on the farm Riverlands, which bordered on the farm Bonnefoi.

These places have been her inspiration, and her artwork reflects a passion and love for the South African landscape and wildlife. She said: I have a deep sense of the spiritual and it is this that I hope to capture in my work. I am passionate about our magical African landscape and animals. I love to work outdoors and capture a sense of space and colour, the bright uncompromising sun and strong contrasts of light an dark. The timeless rocks are surrounded buy air, ...