Exploring Dale Nichols Through the Decades
October 25, 2024 - December 31, 2024Dale William Nichols (1904–1995), known for his vivid Midwestern landscapes and nuanced interpretations of rural life, experienced a dynamic artistic journey spanning over six decades. Born in the summer of 1904 on a farm in David City, Nebraska, Nichols’ talent for drawing was recognized early, though it wasn’t until he was twenty that he pursued art more formally. Moving to Chicago in 1924, he studied briefly at the Chicago Academy of Fine Art and under Carl Werntz at the Art Institute of Chicago, then traveled to Vienna for further study. These early years honed his skills, though his art remained deeply rooted in his rural upbringing.
After his studies, Nichols remained in Chicago for fifteen years, taking a teaching position as the Carnegie Professor of Art at the University of Illinois in 1939. Advocating for fine art’s role in the commercial world, he went against the tide of modernism, favoring a natural, experience-based approach. He published his ideas in “A Philosophy of Esthetics” (1935), a reflection of his belief in art’s grounding in nature and personal experience. His success was confirmed when the Art Institute of Chicago awarded him a prize for “The Cold Wave,” and later, when the Metropolitan Museum of Art purchased “The End of the Hunt” in 1941.
In the 1940s, Nichols became the Art Editor for Encyclopedia Britannica, succeeding Grant Wood, and later founded the Artist’s School in Tubac, Arizona, helping transform the town into the artist colony it remains today. His career then took him across the Americas, living in Arizona, Louisiana, Mississippi, Guatemala, and Alaska. His time in Guatemala in the 1960s left a significant mark on his art, where he captured the country’s lush landscapes and rich Mayan heritage, shifting his style from oils to watercolors.
“Exploring Dale Nichols Through the Decades” showcases over ten original works by Nichols, spanning from his tightly-rendered early works of the 1930s, through his iconic 1940s and 50s Midwestern winter scenes, and into his explorations of Guatemalan and Alaskan subjects in later decades. This exhibition offers a rare look at an artist who, grounded in his Nebraska roots, expanded his vision to new landscapes and cultures, while remaining committed to his unique perspective.