Donna Lee Nicholas

1938 South Pasadena, California

EDUCATION

1955-1959 BA Pomona College, Claremont, California

1960-1962 Student, Talmei Morino, Kyoto, Japan

1963-1964 Student, history of Japanese Art, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan

1964-1966 MFA Claremont Graduate School, Claremont, California

PRIMARY WORK EXPERIENCE

1959-1960 English Instructor, Doshisha Women’s College, Kyoto, Japan

1960-1964 English Instructor YMCA, Kyoto, Japan

1965-1966 Instructor, Claremont Unified School District, Claremont, California

1966-1969 Instructor, Mott Community College, Flint, Michigan

1969—Professor of Art, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, Edinboro, Pennsylvania

 BIOGRAPHY

Donna Nicholas primarily produced sculptural pieces that were constructed of various clay bodies particularly porcelain and white earthenware. The sculptures were constructed with slabs with the addition of extrusions and press molded elements. Multiple glaze firings used to enhance the forms were an ongoing part of her practice. 

Nicholas introduction to ceramics occurred as an outgrowth of her time teaching English in Japan. While in Japan she studied with numerous potters in a number of pottery areas. Upon her return to the US she studied with Paul Soldner at Claremont. Beginning in 1986 after a tornado touched down in her town a number of her sculptures were made of 2 pieces with the negative space between then representing a tornado. Late in her career she turned to the figure in mixed media sculptures.