Rocio Nell was born in Portugal, relocating to the United States in 1972 to pursue studies in psychiatry and psychoanalysis. Always interested in drawing and the arts, she discovered the magic of oils in 1972 after graduating from medical school in Seville, Spain. She spent a year painting still life's, fascinated with the textures, shapes and the processes of painting.

She paints primarily in oils, with both brush and palette knife - her beautifully Impressionistic works are reminiscent of the work the Masters whom she reveres. Her ability to capture life and movement in her subjects is astute, and she often relies on rich memories of her childhood in sunny Spain to convey the subtleties and magical play of light throughout her creations.