Chauncey D. Nickson was born in Kankakee, IL in the late 60's, in a time when racism was prominent and society was in absolute chaos. He discovered art at an early age and used it to escape a racist and violent society and to hide himself from the world. From the very start, he was intrigued by the mechanics of ordinary things such as the complexity found in shapes and figures. This would later show in his work.
"My drawings reflect how I feel about society. . .The mere idea that a society could or should be perfect is totally unrealistic; therefore, I try to exhibit that missing perfect element through my work. Society has peaks and valleys as far as how it reacts to stimuli. As an artist, I react the same. I create work based on how I feel at any given time. If I am upset or happy about a topic, I create a piece based on that frustration or joy I feel. At this stage in my life, I do not complete works in series".
Education was paramount to Nickson. He felt that it placed an emphasis on the love and desire he had to create. Chauncey attended Richland Community College in Decatur, IL. For two and one-half years he took every art and design class the school had to offer. Afterwards, he transferred to The School of The Art Institute of Chicago. “It was an experience that I had waited for what seemed like a lifetime. However, it left me with more questions than when I started.” Chauncey visited The American Academy of Art and was delighted to see the type of instruction that he was searching for. He eagerly enrolled at the school and after two and one-half years, received his Degree. “College had a profound effect on me creatively. I started to see things in a different light, once all that I had learned was applied. It was like the fine tuning of an automobile. I would recommend that any artist go to school and experience this feeling of completion.”
Nickson’s favorite mediums include: pencil (graphite), charcoal, conte crayon, pen & ink, and, what he considers his strongest medium, colored pencils. His use and technique of the medium are inspiring, realistic, and have been compared to photographs. “I plan very soon to add oils and watercolors to my list of mediums.” A fine example of Nickson's Graphite work, is Ladies in Leather. There is no background to detract from the content, with the exception of a geometric shape, but you get the impression that they would enjoy themselves, anywhere. In spite of itself, this piece is far beyond being truly detailed. “I think deep black against a skin value gives the illusion of realism in this piece.” Nickson also states, “I love details, facial expressions, textures, and the manipulation of lights and darks to convey my message of perfect drawings. To me, art is successful if you can approach it any given time or day, and see or feel something different each time.”
Chauncey has been creating art professionally for more than 18 years and can be found in many private and corporate collections.
