World-renowned Alabama artist Nall dies

World-renowned artist, Nall Hollis, of Troy, passed away according to social media posts from friends. According to his foundation, he was 76 years old.

Hollis, known professionally only as “Nall,” was best renowned for his works in etchings, graphite, oil paint, watercolor, textile, sterling silver, porcelain, found objects and wood. His works has been seen all over the world, but most recently in exhibits at the Mobile Museum of Art, Miami Dade College, Menton Museum of Art, France, The Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi, Italy, and The National Arts Club, New York City.

Hollis was a graduate of the University of Alabama, and left the United States in 1971 to further his studies of the arts at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris. He eventually returned to Alabama to teach at UA and served two semesters as artist-in-residence at Troy University, where he was later awarded a Doctorate Honoris Causa from the university.

Tory University has also named a museum after Hollis where the collections of his most important work are on permanent display. “Alice in Wonderland”, and “MossaNall Dialogues” are available for view at the school.

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Hollis gained international in 1997, Hollis threw an extravagant party in Vence, France that was covered by CNN, The Associated Press and made the front page of Nice Matin. The celebration was to honor the opening of the NALL Art Association (Nature Art and Life League) in the French Riviera. Celebrities like Ringo Starr, Prince Albert of Monaco, and actress Candice Bergen attended the event.

Hollis won numerous accolades and was named Alabama’s Distinguished Artist of the Year in 2007. In 2016, Hollis was inducted into the Alabama Center for the Arts Hall of Fame, along with the late Mildred Nungester Wolfe and the Gee’s Bend Quiltmakers. At the time of his death, Hollis operated the Nall Studio Museum in Fairhope.

Funeral arrangements have not been announced.