Tony Nickalls combines a love of art, dance and the soul of Milwaukee into a busy lifestyle. Nickalls is the owner of Aquae Nguvu gallery and studio in the Marshall Building in the Third Ward. His gallery is ranked at the top of Milwaukee’s art scene, attracting patrons and artists from across the state.
Originally from London, England, he studied chemistry and worked in Bristol, England before coming to America.
When did you first become interested in the art world?
My interest in art developed from a high school course entitled “The History of 20th Century Painting” and led to frequent visits to museums and exhibitions in London in the early 1970s , as well as creating works myself (ceramics and oil painting).
I have had a long career in corporate research and development (over 40 years), working primarily on digital printing materials (used in computer printers). During this period, my artistic practice was limited and focused on photography.
You landed in Pennsylvania when you got here.
I lived in Northeastern Pennsylvania for over 20 years, pursuing my corporate career and raising a family (three daughters). Much of my interest in art was fueled at this time by visits to Philadelphia and the art museums there; although in the 2000s, with my daughters studying at Manhattan University, I explored some of New York’s many museums.
How was the gallery born?
I moved to MKE in 2009 and when I came for a company interview, my visit downtown took me to the MAM Calatrava building and the idea that if a city could place it on the lakefront , then there must have been good things to do. Milwaukee. Subsequently, I noticed that the artistic community here is very supportive of each other. I live in the Third Ward and have learned a lot about water, reflections, ripples, waves and wind by observing the river during the four seasons.
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From 2013 to 2019 (while working in my corporate job), I had the privilege of helping out at Debra Brehmer’s Portrait Society Gallery on evenings and weekends. This included several trips to work at the Outsider Art Show in Manhattan, setting up the booth, and managing the exhibit.
Things have changed for you and your career during Covid. Explain how the change occurred.
During Covid, my corporate job ended and I spent several months taking time to paint, dance (ecstatic, freeform), and reflect. Subsequently I turned to dance. I studied with a European shamanic practice group, Movement Medicine, which emphasizes movement in treating life experiences and trauma. Before Covid I met a teacher-in-training in Milwaukee from the group. I had the opportunity to experience their approach over a weekend in Chicago and I was seduced by the effectiveness of their approach using dance. Subsequently, I followed numerous online classes in dance and shamanic practice. It sounds a little crazy but it’s effective, and I recommend the group. Learning about shamanic practice has helped me understand the use of community dance in many cultures to cope with grief, trauma and many intense life experiences, for example the transition from youth to adulthood.
Paint?
A little acrylic work but mainly painting wooden sticks for the elements and their use in my dance practice.
Your gallery?
A door has opened as a space in the Marshall Building became available in January 2022. Since I transformed this space into a gallery and studio, I have presented approximately nine exhibitions. These mainly feature artists from MKE or WI, some of whom have only shown a few pieces in group exhibitions before; but it was a great pleasure to give the artists a space to show all of their work.
Artists include: Val Kupczak, Clare Jorgensen, Ann Baer, Heather Biden, Ruthie Joy, Renee Bebeau, Indie La Londe, Leah Jurgens, Jenny Jo Wendland, Desiree Fonseca, Kristine Hinrichs, May Klisch.
Jody Alexandra was a big help in some of these shows and we co-curated “A Women’s Worth,” a group exhibition featuring nine female artists.
You also teach Yoga. How does this affect you, your art and other things in your life?
I learned a lot from Marietta Pucillo who leads YamaYoga in the third room where I now teach. Looking back, I think the last four years have helped me understand the value of human myth stories passed down through millennia, first orally, then in writing; whether they are Christian, South Asian, Buddhist, or from many other groups (some of which we refer to as “native”). I face the problem that some organizations turn these myths into absolute truth.
I particularly think that as a member of “Western Civilization” there are a few areas I need to think more about:
• The importance of perceiving the unity of body and mind (dance and yoga helped me appreciate the integration of body and mind).
• The importance of seeing our place, as human beings, as a part of this world that does not belong to us and, at most, of which we are stewards.