Rachel C. Nichols
Technical  Artist. Printmaker. Teaching Artist. Illustration, Printmaking, Fiber Arts: Tatted Lacemaking.

Biography:
Bachelors Degree in Art and Art History, UAB, 2005
Trussville resident since 1994
Founding Member Trussville Supports the Arts
Cahawba Arts Association  member
Mentor in the arts to select private students
Former Art Instructor for Master’s Academy of Fine Arts
Community School Art Instructor

Illustration in colored pencil painting technique, pen and ink and ink wash, acrylic painting, graphite, wax resist, linoleum block prints, color theory.

One of my major areas of study in Art Studio was printmaking. I was inspired to purchase an Intaglio press of my own, which I still have, so that I wouldn’t have to spend so much time at art lab at UAB at night. Printmaking is what I intend to spend more time on in retirement.

I find it enriching to consider art development in a historical and scientific context. I have developed an artist vocabulary of terms in Artist Trading Card format to use for my students.

“Stitched Together” 
I was intrigued by the concept of this civic  art project, “Pull Up a Chair,” and filled out the application, hoping to be allowed to participate. I had been recently introduced to the Leeds Arts Council and its theater productions but Leeds history and other aspects of downtown Leeds was unknown to me. I began studying demographics and made trips downtown. When I learned about the opportunity to display my own art in the theater lobby, I was very honored and pulled together pieces done over 60 years of my life.

I continued to research  the Leeds community and  what stitches them together. I was also inspired by some local residents’ quilting, especially  the quilts for an area veterans project. This  inspired my  design: quilt squares  stitched together and then quilted with running stitches.

I strove to represent downtown small businesses featuring services:  restaurants,  legal services,  dental services,  libraries, and booksellers.

As I developed the squares, another theme seemed to come to light:  books are often stitched, local boutiques feature clothes and other stitched items, an embroidery business,  jeans are on Main Street. Sports—footballs and baseballs have stitching…

These businesses and others together with some homes and churches are on Main Street. The header on the rocker is a typical cityscape with zip code 35094 for Leeds, Alabama.

Schools and their activities stitched generations and neighbors together. This is featured on the right most back slat of the rocker. Veterans served to secure freedom for Leeds citizens and have been honored with quilts made by members of the community celebrating four Medal of Valor recipients.

The heritage of Leeds is represented by John Henry, a folk hero of railroad tunnel construction, and is the subject of folk songs. Other local heroes commemorated with the Bass house which was a stagecoach stop.  Stagecoaches were overtaken by railroads. Railroad building provided commerce for the area railroads connecting the Leeds area to other resources and goods and look like stitching on maps.

Lehigh Cement was another  source for employment and is represented by a square.

Sports stitches together participants,  spectators, referees, umpires, scorekeepers, and families. Notable basketball player ”Sir” Charles Barkley, Basketball Hall of Fame,  began his basketball career in Leeds schools.

Arts appreciation guilds are represented by music, drama, visual arts, poetry, and a notable local Earthborn pottery. The arts further enhance and stitch community members together. Local  parks provide public recreation areas for community festivals. 

A revitalized historic downtown is a rich educational and social asset to any town.  Leeds is to be commended for celebrating its historic roots downtown. Some of my favorite citizens that I have found in my research were Nathan Glick, a World War Two artist who worked with paragon and Prius and progressive farmer and also designed the bronze doors that are in Alabama archives. Nathan Glick was a combat artist for the ninth Air Force.

Another artist was Mark Martin, a cartoonist of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT). I would have represented them, but the copyright is owned by Nickelodeon and perhaps Paramount.

Needless to say, there are many other notable citizens in various industries not mentioned here!

I really enjoyed researching this wonderful town and and historic downtown area and have enjoyed getting to know some of the owners of the shops and look forward to continuing to come to downtown Leeds to enjoy some of the culture and shop in the future.