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"Art has always been the raft onto which we climb to save our sanity."

- Dorothea Tanning

TIMELINE

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.  He encouraged her to be an artist when she grew up.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 1979:  Good girls fall in love, get married and take care of their families.  Art should only be a hobby.

 

 

1980 – 1989

 

  • 1980:  Good girls fall in love, get married and take care of their families.  Art should only be a hobby.

  • 1981:   Good girls fall in love, get married and take care of their families.  Art should only be a hobby.

  • 1982:  Good girls fall in love, get married and take care of their families.  Art should only be a hobby.

  • 1983:  Good girls fall in love, get married and take care of their families.  Art should only be a hobby.

  • 1984:  moved to El Paso, Texas; 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.

  • 1985:  Nichol paints often, selling out consistently, but 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 sells more than $10,000 in paintings that year, still art should only be a hobby

  • 1991:  Good girls fall in love, get married and take care of their families.  Art should only be a hobby.

  • 1992: return to United States

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

  • 1994:  Woke up crying uncontrollably.  Prayed to God to make her an artist.  Got an actual reply.  God whispered, “If you want to be an artist, then MAKE ART!” 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

  • 1998:  Finding her visual voice as an artist

 

 

 

2000 – 2009

 

  • 2000:  Exhibited in the Illinois Art Association

  • 2000:  Art Show:  Lincoln Memorial Garden Nature Center

  • 2001:   Exhibited in the Illinois Art Association

  • 2006:  Published “There Are Monsters Under My Bed”

  • 2007:  Nichol named a Artist in Cellophane top 100 Artist

  • 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:  Nichol turns 70 - launches new web site, promoting three year series on skies

  • 2021:   COVID Pandemic plagues the world, Nichol explores print on demand artist movements during year long quarantine

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

  • 2023:  Begins "Primal Cuts" Series

  • 2024:  Finalizes "War" Series -  continues "Primal Cuts"

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