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Calvin NichollsCalvin Nicholls   SAA, AFC Calvin Nicholls
wildlife and nature scenes in archival paper
 
Inspired by family, friends and by my high school art teacher, I enrolled in the three year graphic design program (1976-79)at Sheridan College in Oakville, Ontario.

Upon graduation I spent my first year in an advertising agency before opening my own freelance design studio in north Toronto during 1981.

Experiments with paper sculpture began in 1984 and before long paper sculpture played a dominant role in most of my design clients' projects and campaigns.

It was a matter of time before my life-long interest in art and wildlife combined. I had just completed a bird of prey with outstretched wings for Noranda Recycled Papers when it struck me how well suited the layering of feathers was to the art of paper sculpture.

My first series of limited edition prints was launched in 1989 at the Buckhorn Wildlife Festival in Ontario and National Trust commissioned 15 wildlife sculptures for a national campaign in 1992.

Success at shows and demand for my work in the corporate sector provided the base for what has become a very exciting career.

My work was juried into shows for the first time in 1994 with the Society of Animal Artists in New York with whom I have enjoyed many years of gallery exposure throughout the United States. Recent awards include two Awards of Excellence and one Artists' Choice Award.

Commercial Illustration awards have opened doors as well. An international firm, Follett Library Resources of Chicago, commissioned me to begin a wildlife themed campaign in 1995 which continues to this day with over 75 large sculptures completed and displayed throughout their offices. Posters of these sculptures are on display in FLR client libraries and school art departments around the world from Alaska to South Africa.

I completed 15 sculptures for an a children's book written by Rafe Martin and published in 2002 by Arthur A. Levine (an imprint of Scholastic Press in New York. The book was titled The World Before This One which gained high praise by revered Kirkus and Star Review book reviewers in the United States.

My interest in monochromatics continues. I want people to be drawn in to explore the work and to consider the medium. Although I have completed pieces in full colour I continue to experiment with the interaction of light and shadow on the surface of plain paper in off white or in multi-step grayscale equivalents as in my most recent piece titled Moonridge.

The Woodson Art Museum in Wausau, Wisconsin juried pieces into their acclaimed Birds in Art Show from 2013-2016 which is always a huge honour and career highlight.

I look forward to the adventures that lie ahead and enjoy the times I have had working from my home studio with my wife while watching all three of our children as they develop their own styles and skills in the world of art.

 
Support for Conservation:
x
 
Special Achievements:
  • 2016 - Birds in Art
    http://www.lywam.org/birds-in-art/
    Magpies - hand-made Japanese papers and 100% cotton paper - varying hues of white
     
  • 2016 - Art and the Animal - Society of Animal Artists - Houston Museum of Natural Science
    http://www.hmns.org/
    Tiger - "Sheer Power" - varying hues of off white archival paper sculpture
     
  • 2015 - Award of Excellence - Society of Animal Artists - Art and the Animal Annual show - Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History
    http://calvinnicholls.com
    "Waiting In the Wings" - Wilson's Bird of Paradise - white on white paper sculpture
     
  • 2015 - Artists' Choice Award - Society of Animal Artists - Art and the Animal Annual Show - Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History
    http://calvinnicholls.com
    "Waiting in the Wings" - Wilson's Bird of Paradise - white on white paper sculpture
     
  • 2015 - Birds in Art
    http://www.lywam.org/birds-in-art/
    "Body Language" - Parotia - white on white archival paper sculpture - 14" x 18" x 3"
     
  • 2014 - Birds in Art
    http://www.lywam.org/birds-in-art/
    Birds of Eden - greater birds of paradise - white on white archival paper sculpture - 68" x 48" x 3"
     
  • 2013 - Birds in Art
    http://www.lywam.org/birds-in-art/
    "Flight" - white on white archival paper sculpture - red-tailed hawk
     
  • 1996 - Award of Excellence - Society of Animal Artists
    Hawkeye - Red-tailed hawk - back to viewer with head turned - perched on a limb - monochromatic on triple matting
     
Collections:
  • 2003 - personal collection
    15 sculptures created to accent the text of a children's novel by Rafe Martin - published by Arthur A. Levine - a Scholastic Press imprint in New York USA
     
  • 1992 - National Trust/Scotia Bank
    15 sculptures depicting variety of mammals and birds for national bank branch campaign
     
  • Follett Library Resources
    over 75 sculptures completed since 1995 - framed to 22w x 26h depicting various international mammals, birds, insects and fish which are used as the international branding for Follett Library Resources in Chicago
     
Publications:
  • Priority Magaine - Singapore Airlines (2016)
    More about Priority Magaine - Singapore Airlines
     - Featured in article on many of the world's leading paper sculpture artists.
    Author: Winnie Leung
    Published by: PUBLICITAS PUBLISHING PTE LTD
     
  • South Florida Opulance magazine (2016)
    More about South Florida Opulance magazine
     - Feature 5 page article describing my career path and technique.
    Author: Robin Jay
    Published by: Horizon Publishing LLC
     
  • Paper mania (2002)
    supplied photography - interviewed - 2 page article with 4 full colour samples
    Author: Mary Nelson
    Published by: WildlifeArt
     
  • The World Before This One (2002)
    conceived and created 15 sculptures to accent the text and for use on the dust jacket and title pages - white on white sculptures presented in birchbark-like mats with simulated sweet grass laced edge
    Author: Rafe Martin
    Published by: Arthur A. Levine - Scholastic Press
     
Organization Membership:
  • 1996 - Society of Animal Artists

     

 

 
 
Direct Correspondence to:Calvin Nicholls
 
Calvin Nicholls
c/o 
48 Bond Street
Lindsay, Ontario
Canada K9V 3R2
Tel: (705) 878-1640
   Artists for Conservation Group
Email: calvin@calvinnicholls.com
Home Page: http://calvinnicholls.com
Calvin Nicholls Calvin Nicholls

 
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Use of nature art, wildlife art or any other images or text from this site, requires permission in writing from Calvin Nicholls ().

This site is part of the Artists for Conservation (AFC) Web site. (Wildlife Art - Nature Art - Conservation) Artists for Conservation is an international, non-profit organization dedicated to nature art, wildlife art and conservation. On this site you will find world-class nature art and wildlife art by today's leading nature artists & wildlife artists. The AFC site is the Web's premier location for nature art, wildlife artists All content appearing in pages featuring Calvin Nicholls is the sole responsibility of Calvin Nicholls. The opinions expressed on these artists' pages are those of Calvin Nicholls and do not necessarily reflect those of the Artists for Conservation Foundationi (AFC).