Chronicling the career of influential artist and teacher Marion Nicoll

A book published by the University of Calgary Press is offering a glimpse into the life and career of one of Alberta’s most influential artists.

Marion Nicoll was the first female instructor at the Provincial Institute of Art and Technology, which is now the Alberta College of Art and Design. She’s best known for bringing the artistic technique of abstraction into practice in Alberta. Before she passed away in 1985, Nicoll was a mentor to countless up-and-coming artists and her work figures prominently in Alberta art history.

On May 22, the University of Calgary Press will launch the book Marion Nicoll: Silence and Alchemy by Elizabeth Herbert and Ann Davis. It was developed from the authors’ work as curators of a Nicoll exhibition in the Nickle Galleries last year.

“Marion Nicoll’s work figures prominently in Alberta art history and while she was successful, she found herself up against many challenges in both her professional and personal lives,” explains Christine Sowiak, chief curator of the Nickle Galleries and a contributor to the book. “She’s certainly remembered for her work and her powerful character.”

The book received financial support from Rod Green, president of Masters Gallery in Calgary. His expertise and collaboration was instrumental in the 2013 Nicoll exhibition that inspired the book.

As an Open Access publisher, the University of Calgary Press has made the book available for free download.

The book launch will coincide with the opening reception for the exhibition Fine Lines: Drawings from the Nickle Collection and the Mackie Donation, which features some of Nicoll’s work among 130 drawings by a number of other Canadian artists. The event begins at 5 p.m. in Gallery Hall on the main floor of the Taylor Family Digital Library. Admission is free.