I come from western New York, have lived in Massachusetts and returned to New York to live in Woodstock. I work in pastels and specialize in landscape and still life. Art has been a continuous experience in my life, having drawn and painted since childhood. My paintings are expressions of my love of nature, interest in detail, and enjoyment of color. The use of pastels gives me a very direct, tactile connection between what I see and what I express.

I hold a Bachelor of Science degree from the State University College of New York at Buffalo with a major in art education, and a Master of Arts in art history from the George Washington University. I taught art in western New York State and in Massachusetts. As a public school art teacher, I gained inspiration from the children’s spontaneous delight in the process of making art. For many years pottery was another tactile medium of expression, and creating functional ware satisfied the practical aspect of my nature. Through my art history studies, the 19th century Hudson River School of Artists especially interested me. When I first came to live in this region, it was like living in those paintings. I immediately responded to the grandeur of the mountains and river, and the charm of the small towns. I began pastel work with Angela Gaffney-Smith and took workshops led by Christina Debarry, Staats Fasold and Elizabeth Mowry.

Email: jnicol64@gmail.com