Nicola's artwork, titled Tanglemire Forest No Ordinary World is full of multi-layered complex structures that can be, at first glance, looked upon as dwellings covered in familiar objects, or they can be seen for what they are, a representation of what happens when a person breaks free of the constraints placed on them by the thoughts and desires of others, or even themselves.

The saying “the home is where the heart is” is apt. The heart is a fragile thing, easily disturbed and once so, disrupts the well being of the whole person.

Nicola has always been interested in the secret parts of the human mind where the threads of one's life are woven and come together.

These dwellings she has built are a representation of where the threads of her life have come together and where her heart lies. You only have to look at them and see her. They are also a mirror, where other people who look into them will see themselves.

A heart and a home require a solid base on which to build a life. The gourds, representing longevity, health and a symbol of life, are used as this base. From the moment a person is conceived to the point of leaving this earth, they are bombarded with the troubles and delights of the human existence.

Every person takes on aspects from this world and, for good or bad, it shapes them. To represent this Nicola has used discarded items from human garbage and altered it, transformed it, and then adhered it to the outer skins of the gourds.

So what was once discarded, as some humans are, has now been turned into objects of beauty and even though many humans do not know it, the beauty they hold is inside them. And just as every human is different from one another, so each structure, though having the same solid base, is just as different.

Ultimately the desire is to build a static display that will allow people, who are damaged by this world, to come and sit and delve back in time to a happier place, when the mind was not cluttered, when the fears of this world were nowhere to be found.

A place where one's imagination can be triggered into revealing worlds within worlds and the belief that maybe life does actually exist beyond our sight.

This ancient tree, brooding in its own decay, is the first illustration of the 1st Chapter of The Gribble's Gift and someone is hiding within its wide roots.

Veeleeta, no bigger than your thumb, is walking amongst the giant ancient Silver Luneria trees with her best friend the Poogle, Congar.

Veeleeta & Congar meet five Fly Snails who leap from the branch and glide to the floor of the forest, a place no Gribble wants to end up in.

Veeleeta is overlooking the balcony of her hanging house upon some of the other houses in the village of Pooreena.

Blue butterflies dance amongst the many flowers festooned over the hanging houses of Pooreena.

Glowing bugs flit through the night visiting illuminated fungi growing on the rooves of the many hanging houses of Pooreena.

Three giant glowing creatures known as Selenites appear before Ebony & her pet dog, Scruffy.