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CV

An Important Note: 

 

The letters “CV” stand for “curriculum vitae” (sometimes just called a vita) which translates loosely to “course of life.” The artist CV tells a reader at a glance what the artist has done in the past, whether it includes previous exhibitions, employment, awards, etc., and lets them decide whether the artist is the right fit for an exhibition.  Additionally the CV implies an academic background and inclusion into the arts industry to support and give credibility to the artist's career. The challenge with this approach to telling the artist's course of life is that it leaves out the many obstacles, shortcomings and actual courses of life most artists, especially outsider artists, are forced to take to discover their own identity as a human and an artist in the same space.  Much of the soul that makes the artists journey fascinating isn't in the shows and exhibitions.  Rather its in the quiet spaces when no one is paying notice. What the artist is experiencing in those raw moments of life and how that translates into their work is what is real and authentic.  That's what others should see and celebrate.  In that vein, we leave you with an incredibly brief but unvarnished look at Nichol's journey as an artist, woman, and human being struggling to survive all while attempting to find herself, like everyone else in the world.  We leave it to you, the readers, viewers, collectors and critics to see how this journey has played out in her work and whether that work merits your time and consideration.

1950 -1959

 

  • 1950: Born Dec 25 at home – French Speaking New Brunswick, Canada

  • 1951:   early childhood

  • 1952:  early childhood

  • 1953:  saw first painting in progress and was captivated for life. It was a picture of Mary holding Jesus and Joseph with columns and shade – saw cloth of Mary’s robe come to life  (saw the painting years later in Canada at her grandmothers house in 1981)

  • 1955:  November – Poitras family immigrates to United States just outside of St Louis, Missouri

  • 1956:  was given class centerfold to color as her talent was obvious to her teachers. It was a picture of Leonardo da Vinci’s last supper, she never forgot that moment

  • 1957:  didn’t know girls could grow up to be artists so she was a “good girl” who quietly made art no one would ever see

  • 1958:  didn’t know girls could grow up to be artists so she was a “good girl” who quietly made art no one would ever see

  • 1959:  didn’t know girls could grow up to be artists so she was a “good girl” who quietly made art no one would ever see

 

 

 

1960 – 1969

 

  • 1960:  didn’t know girls could grow up to be artists so she was a “good girl” who quietly made art no one would ever see

  • 1961:   didn’t know girls could grow up to be artists so she was a “good girl” who quietly made art no one would ever see

  • 1962:  didn’t know girls could grow up to be artists so she was a “good girl” who quietly made art no one would ever see

  • 1963:  didn’t know girls could grow up to be artists so she was a “good girl” who quietly made art no one would ever see

  • 1964:  didn’t know girls could grow up to be artists so she was a “good girl” who quietly made art no one would ever see

  • 1965:  didn’t know girls could grow up to be artists so she was a “good girl” who quietly made art no one would ever see

  • 1966:  didn’t know girls could grow up to be artists so she was a “good girl” who quietly made art no one would ever see

  • 1967: received first oil paint set as a gift from her father (they were his old set) Her dad let her practice painting on the kitchen wall in preparation for her commissioned mural.  

  • 1968: completed first commission was paid $50

  • 1969: graduated Fox High School with a senior superlative of “most talented” in class of over 1300

 

 

 

1970 – 1979

 

  • 1970:  enrolled in Jefferson Junior College to begin her studies in art

  • 1971:   Women weren’t worth the social or financial investment of higher education where she lived.  Nichol dropped out.  It was silly to want to be an artist.

  • 1972:  Good girls fall in love, get married and take care of their families.  Art should only be a hobby.

  • 1973:  Married Jim Brown in Oct

  • 1974:  Jim joins the Army – Nichol moves to Goerpigen, West Germany to join him; Son, Marcus, born in Nov

  • 1975:  Good girls fall in love, get married and take care of their families.  Art should only be a hobby. Any work not sold was given away or trashed with each move.

  • 1976:  Daughter, Christy, born in Jan

  • 1977:  Jim leaves the military and returns to the United States

  • 1978:  Good girls fall in love, get married and take care of their families.  Art should only be a hobby.  Any work not sold was given away or trashed with each move.

  • 1979:  Good girls fall in love, get married and take care of their families.  Art should only be a hobby.  Any work not sold was given away or trashed with each move.

 

 

1980 – 1989

 

  • 1980:  Good girls fall in love, get married and take care of their families.  Art should only be a hobby.  Any work not sold was given away or trashed with each move.

  • 1981:  Good girls fall in love, get married and take care of their families.  Art should only be a hobby.  Any work not sold was given away or trashed with each move.

  • 1982:  Good girls fall in love, get married and take care of their families.  Art should only be a hobby.  Any work not sold was given away or trashed with each move.

  • 1983:  Macintosh introduces the home computer: Nichol finds love at digital first sight.  “Mac Girl” is made one pixel at a time and submitted to Apple's first art contest.

  • 1984:  moved to El Paso, Texas; Nichol begins making enough money to affect the family budget

  • 1985:  Nichol paints often, selling out consistently, but she feels the family pressure that art should only be a hobby

  • 1986:  Good girls fall in love, get married and take care of their families.  Art should only be a hobby.

  • 1987:  Good girls fall in love, get married and take care of their families.  Art should only be a hobby.

  • 1988:  moved to Osterholz-Scharmbeck, West Germany

  • 1989:  Good girls fall in love, get married and take care of their families.  Art should only be a hobby.

 

 

1990 – 1999

 

  • 1990: Nichol's sales hit the five figure mark, still art should only be a hobby

  • 1991:  Good girls fall in love, get married and take care of their families.  Nichol continues to grow in her annual sales.

  • 1992:  Return to United States, spent six months in New Jersey

  • 1993:  Moved to Louisiana. Good girls fall in love, get married and take care of their families.  Art should only be a hobby.

  • 1994:  Moved to Texas.  Art is non-existent for Nichol.  Good girls fall in love, get married and take care of their families.  Art should only be a hobby.  Woke up crying uncontrollably, begging to be an artist.  God, providence, the ether, whatever it is responded, “If you want to be an artist, then MAKE ART!” Nichol started to draw every single day.  Began creating art with greater consistency, intentionality, vision and purpose. 

  • 1995:  Finding her visual voice as an artist

  • 1996:  Jim retired from US military and moved to Illinois

  • 1997:  Finding her visual voice as an artist.  Sales are small.

  • 1998:  Finding her visual voice as an artist. Sales are small.

 

 

 

2000 – 2009

 

  • 2000:  Exhibited in the Illinois Art Association.  Sales are small.

  • 2000:  Art Show:  Lincoln Memorial Garden Nature Center.  Sales are small.

  • 2001:   Exhibited in the Illinois Art Association.  Sales are small.

  • 2006:  Published “There Are Monsters Under My Bed.”  Sales are small.

  • 2007:  Nichol named a Artist in Cellophane top 100 Artist.  Sales begin to grow.

  • 2008:  moved to Cleveland, OH three miles from University Circle and the Cleveland Art Museum

  • 2009:  Invited to Exhibit by Art House Co-op Atlanta – “The Great Exchange”

 

 

 

2010 – 2019

 

  • 2010:  Published Pencil Dust

  • 2011:   Commissioned to design brochure for the Louis V. Stokes VA Hospital in Cleveland, OH

  • 2012:  First Solo Exhibition:  “The Soul of he Ordinary” – Atlanta, GA

  • 2014:  Private Exhibition:  “Empty” – Atlanta, GA

  • 2016:  moved to Virginia

  • 2017:  First year working on a three year series of skies

  • 2018:  Second year working on a three year series of skies, starts exploring "War" series

  • 2019:  Third year working on a three year series of skies

 

 

 

2020 – present

​

  • 2020:  COVID Pandemic plagues the world.  Nichol is quietly prolific.

  • 2021:   COVID Pandemic continues to plague the world. Nichol is quietly prolific.  She produces over 380 paintings of the sky during the lock-downs.

  • 2022:  Moved to Atlanta, GA to join the largest growing artist community in the country

  • 2023:  Begins "Primal Cuts" Series

  • 2024:  Finalizes "War" Series in honor of the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide.  Nichol also completes "Life's Storm: 2008," her largest painting to date standing 10ft. tall by 8ft. wide.  Sales are slow.

  • 2025:  Nichol begins the task of archiving her work and career.  Nichol turns 75

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