Nicole Nagel-Gogolak returns to ACDS, where she previously taught art for all grade levels in the 1990s. Originally from Flushing, Michigan, she holds an MFA in fiber from Cranbrook Academy of Art and a BFA in Painting from the University of Michigan. A parent of two Aardvark alums, Nicole s passionate about art education and has devoted countless hours to developing art outreach programs and leading workshops in the Roaring Fork Valley. She’s currently an Adjunct Professor of Drawing and Painting at Colorado Mountain College and a Summer Art Intensives Instructor at Interlochen Center for the Arts.
Which ACDS core value is most meaningful to you, and why?
They are all important to me. Like the colors on a paint palette, each one helps create a balanced composition
What makes a student’s experience at ACDS distinctive from other schools?
Students here experience an excellent education surrounded by nature, which keeps them grounded.
What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received?
I lost my rental car in a large underground parking lot in Frankfurt, Germany, at 11 pm, and my 12-year-old daughter said was very good at staying calm and solving problems.
If you could swap lives with anyone for a day, who would it be? Why?
Berthe Morisot, because she was one of the only women to be a member of the circle of painters who became known as the Impressionists.