Grace Nickel is an artist and educator. Her studio practice focusses on sculptural ceramics and installation. She has won awards in the Mino International Ceramics Competition and the Taiwan Ceramics Biennale, and has had numerous solo exhibitions in Canada, including at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, the Winnipeg Art Gallery, the Art Gallery of Burlington, and the Moose Jaw Museum & Art Gallery. Her work can be found in permanent collections including the Museum of Modern Ceramic Art in Gifu, Japan, the New Taipei City Yingge Ceramics Museum in Taiwan, and the Fule International Ceramic Art Museums project in China. She has participated in the Cheongju International Craft Biennale, in Korea, and her work has been selected for several NCECA Annual Exhibitions in the United States. Nickel currently teaches at the University of Manitoba and lives in Winnipeg.
“Nickel applies an archaeobotanical lens to her investigations, referencing the past and present with regard to the life cycle of living organisms and to varied forms and functions of ceramics production. Her work considers how the intimate and individual struggle for survival reflects the broader crises in which we find ourselves today, with climate change and resulting environmental catastrophes [being] top of mind. [...] Technical experimentation, conceptual refinement, and engagement with the contemporary craft community are hallmarks of Grace Nickel’s 40-year career in the ceramic arts.”
Nominator: Tammy Sutherland, Director, Manitoba Craft Council, on behalf of the Manitoba Craft Council
“Her work considers how the intimate and individual struggle for survival reflects the broader crises in which we find ourselves today.”
Discover the 2023 Winners
Know someone who deserves a GGArts award? Deadline: June 1
For more information or to submit a nomination, visit this page.