Dr. Nicholas Hernandez did not begin his career in sculpting until he was 46. Still, it was not long before his sculptures began receiving international attention, and he began receiving noteworthy commissions. Senator Barbara Boxer awarded Dr. Hernandez a commission in 2000 to create a gift for Bill and Hillary Clinton, a wooden sculpture for their daughter Chelsea which was on display in the White House and now resides in their private residence.

Dr. Hernandez was awarded the Lorenzo il Magnifico Award in 2005 at the prestigious International Florence Biennale of Contemporary Art, a global art competition with 890 juried invites from 72 countries, for his sculpture Emergence, which is now on permanent display at Chapman University. He has collaborated with prominent woodworkers in China on a large international sculpture project and has shown at the Mexican Museum in San Francisco, the Guggenheim, and other prestigious venues worldwide.

Dr. Hernandez works almost exclusively with wood, focusing on the curvilinear edges between positive and negative space and the lyrical lines of form. His works are figurative and, at times, androgynous to communicate his fundamental message of universality across time and cultures. When Mr. Hernandez uses highly reflective materials, a viewer can see their own reflection in the artwork.

Dr. Hernandez has been a resident of Laguna Beach for the past 50 years, where he coached tennis at Laguna Beach high school and supports numerous causes, including Surfers Healing for children with autism. In 2009, he was selected by the Laguna Beach City Council to serve as an Art Commissioner to help promote artistic development in the community.

Dr. Hernandez is currently working with the Atomic Babylon Fundraiser Project and the Still Glowing Foundation. On August 20th, 2021, he will be exhibiting at the UNESCO West Coast Peace Center in Oceanside, California.