Mrs. Nickels joined the St. Peter’s teaching staff in 2019, after 19 joyful years teaching art at St. John Neumann Catholic School in Knoxville, Tennessee. She holds a bachelor of fine arts degree from Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana. Mrs. Nickels is also a practicing artist—making, selling, and exhibiting her abstract paintings in Knoxville, Nashville, and around the country. She and her husband, David, relocated to Cincinnati to be closer to their three children and two grandchildren.
Mrs. Nickels teaches the basic concepts of visual art in a sequenced, skill-based format. Units include observational drawing, drawing from memory, drawing from the imagination, drafting, color theory, painting, printmaking, collage, relief, and sculpture. These units are taught referencing the elements and principles of design, vocabulary enrichment, and correct use of artist tools. Students are encouraged to bring personal expression and creativity to their assignments.