Nicola Hicks facts for kids
Nicola Hicks (born in London in 1960) is a famous English artist. She is best known for making amazing sculptures using materials like straw and plaster. She was even given an award called the MBE for her art!
About Nicola Hicks
Nicola Hicks went to art school in London. She studied at the Chelsea School of Art from 1978 to 1982. Then, she continued her studies at the Royal College of Art until 1985.
Nicola loves to sculpt animals. She often uses straw and plaster to create them. This was quite unusual for artists in the 1980s. At that time, many artists were making abstract art or installation art. Nicola also creates big, energetic drawings using charcoal on large sheets of brown paper.
Many of her sculptures are later made into bronze. The bronze versions are so detailed that you can still see the textures of the plaster and straw.
Early Recognition
A famous sculptor named Elisabeth Frink noticed Nicola's talent. Frink chose Nicola for her first solo art show in 1985. This show was at Angela Flowers's gallery.
A writer named Robert Heller spoke about Nicola's early work. He said that even at 24, her art was very mature and well-made. He mentioned a powerful sculpture of a dying bull made from straw. This sculpture showed great strength even though it looked fragile. The gallery quickly invited Nicola to join their group of artists.
Nicola's career really took off in 1985. Her art was shown in many places. These included Kettle’s Yard, the Hayward Annual, and the Serpentine Gallery.
Public Art and Awards
Nicola Hicks has become a very successful artist. She has created sculptures for public spaces. These include the "Beetle" sculpture in Bristol. She also made the second version of the Brown Dog Memorial in Battersea Park.
Her art has been shown in major museums and galleries. These exhibitions have taken place in Britain and around the world. In 1995, Nicola was awarded an MBE. This award recognized her important contributions to visual arts.
Personal Life
Nicola Hicks is married to Daniel Flowers. He is the youngest son of Angela Flowers, who owns the art gallery.
Images for kids
-
"Brown Dog", Battersea Park, 1985
-
'"Beetle", Bristol, 2000
-
"Statue on Knights Templar Column", London, 2000
-
"Crouching Minotaur", Sculpture at Schoenthal, 2003
