First Artist Highlight-Sammie Nicely

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December 21, 2012 by artways2013

Sammie Nicely is a contemporary folk artist who works in sculpture, ceramics and mixed media. While best known for his pit-fired clay masks that fuse African and Southern Appalachian art
traditions; this exhibit will feature large scale pastel drawings from Nicely’s Angel
Series along with ceramic sculptures that draw from his mask motifs.

His latest collection, The Angel series is a departure from the ceramic work that Nicely is most known for; however, the artist’s signature imagery and themes are clearly evident. The subject matter
responds directly to the way Nicely’s African heritage contrasts with the European traditions
of the Protestant church practiced by his family. The artist has created his own spiritual
mindscape. He depicts a larger than life angel (inspired by Ethiopian Coptic icons), presiding
over a scene filled with fertility images, masked figures and animals.”

A prolific artist for the last 32 years, Sammie has created transportation related public
art for the transit station in Knoxville, Tennessee and in 1996 was commissioned by the Olympic Public Arts Committee to create “Out of Many, One” at Jackson-Hartsfield Airport, a permanent installation featuring 20 masks, and later directed the tile project for the Children’s
Amphitheater in the Johnson City Public library located in Tennessee.

As an art educator, Sammie has taught grades K-12, the college classroom, as well as various workshop settings including artist in residence for the Tennessee Arts Commission, the South Carolina Arts Commission, the Virginia Museum in Richmond, and the Penland School of Crafts in Penland, North Carolina.

In addition to his work as an artists and art educator, Sammie has curated and juried numerous exhibits including: From Africa to Appalachia,” Rose Center, 1989-2011; Morristown Art Association Invitational Exhibits, 1987-1990; “African Images in American Craft,” Southern Highland Handicraft Guild, in Ashville, North Carolina. He curated “Appalachian Then and Now”, during the Mildred
Haun Conference: A Celebration of Appalachian Literature, Culture & Scholarship. For the Rose Center in Morristown,Nicely curated the “From Africa to Appalachia” art exhibit and last year, served as juror for ETSU’s 26th annual “Positive/Negative” national juried art show.

His commitment to celebration both his African and Appalachian heritage lead him to co-found the From Africa to Appalachia Foundation in Morristown Tennessee, a vehicle in which to bring awareness of African and African American culture to the region through visual and performing arts.