R. Scott Nickell Biography scroll down to view works

 Scott Nickell is an unlikely combination of geophysicist and artist.  Thanks to a birthday gift of sculpting lessons from his wife, Marsha, he has discovered his true calling.  Originally from Fort Worth, Texas, Nickell studied geology at Texas A&M University, which led to working in the oil industry and subsequently running his own oil company for many years.  His sculpting began as a way to relax after a stressful day on the job, but soon he had so many sculptures, he didn’t know where to put them.  With Marsha’s encouragement, Scott approached a gallery to sell his work.  Soon, his bronzes were selling quickly, and Scott turned to sculpting full time. 

When viewing a Nickell Indian bronze one notices the authenticity of the dress, shirt, moccasins, and other trappings.  Scott is especially interested in Native American beadwork, which he takes incredible pains to duplicate from actual artifacts, including painting each bead by hand on a finished bronze.

After studying artifacts from museums and private collections, Nickell adorns his proud sculptures, which range from 24-inch figures to two-thirds life size, with all the appropriate accoutrements for their tribes and lifestyles. 

That meticulous attention to each figure’s dress and beadwork also allows Scott to create appealing, realistic people who seem to have stories to tell.  Often, gallery visitors comment that the faces of Scott’s sculptures are so well observed and sensitively depicted.  Researching for an average of one month per sculpture, Scott works from historic photographs and models to achieve the incredible likenesses to actual living beings in our past.  His collection of Native American men and women, cowboys, and cowgirls is a valuable contribution to both the art world and the heritage of America, and will certainly add something special to your home or office.