angela
NICHOLS
{ W R I TTE N B Y AMB E R L AN I E R N AGLE }
Angela Nichols is a positive, glass-is-half-full kind of person.
“Be passionate
about what you spend your time doing.
”
Angela is wearing Ming Wang’s Cocoon Cardigan with Faux Fur Trim; earrings by Pia Fine Sterling Silver
24
Points North | November 2012 | ptsnorth.com
Her effervescent smile and infectious laugh say a lot about how she approaches life. She savors the joys of each day, waits for the light in the darkness and finds opportunity in the midst of misfortune. Even in the trying times of 2008, her optimism never faded. “We got married that year, which was wonderful,” Nichols remarked. “But in that first year, both my husband and I lost our jobs, and that was really difficult. We were both working in creative fields, and that sector was hit pretty hard during the financial crisis.” Nichols and her husband, Ryan Sterritt, bounced back. Sterritt landed in the film industry, and Nichols found her dream position at the Hudgens Center for the Arts. As director of education and public programs, she crusades tirelessly on behalf of the arts in and around Atlanta and leads a committee in determining which exhibits to showcase at the Hudgens. “I love discovering artists,” she said. “I love visiting artists’ studios, talking with them about their work and then sharing their work with others through our exhibitions program.” Nichols also develops fine art classes for the center. More than 600 students attend art classes, camps and workshops at the Hudgens Center for the Arts each year. “I love that I can come to work every day and pass by classrooms full of happy people who are making things,” she said. “Art enriches people’s lives. I witness it every day. I hear the stories from students and patrons.” Nichols mentioned a coworker whose husband was diagnosed with cancer. “She later told me that the [pottery] class gave her a mental escape from caring for her husband and thinking about his illness. Her story, and others like hers, reinforces my passion. It’s why I do what I do.” On the home front, Nichols and her husband are raising a daughter, Clementine, and expecting their second child. “I look forward to every tomorrow,” she said. “I can’t wait to share my passion with my children and get [them] involved in the community.”