Fred Nall Hollis, or Nall as he was professionally known, passed away at the age of 76 on Sept. 14 at his home in Fairhope, Ala.

The world-acclaimed artist grew up in Troy, Ala., later earning his bachelor's degree in art, political science and psychology from The University of Alabama in 1970. The following year, Nall left the U.S. to study at the École des Beaux-Arts (School of Fine Arts) in Paris, France, traveling through Europe, Africa, Asia, and South America, while he was there.

During his travels, Nall painted, finding inspiration in the different cultures and landscapes he experienced. He learned to work with a variety of mediums while under the tutelage of Spanish surrealist Salvador Dali. His etchings were heavily influenced by his mentor.

Nall's artwork is diverse, spanning from engravings, paintings, mosaics and sculpture to pieces created from found wood and other objects. He also created porcelain designs, tapestries as well as opera set and costume designs.

The artist spent a large part of his career in France, with his Nature Art and Life League (N.A.L.L.) offering apprenticeships to international students, some from UA. 

But Nall did eventually return to his roots in Alabama and at the Capstone. In the 1990s, he served as an artist-in-residence and apprenticed students at UA, also working as an artist-in-residence at Troy University for two years, then receiving a Doctorate Honoris Causa from Troy.

In 2000, Nall helped bring Alabama’s arts community to national notoriety through the traveling exhibit – and book – “Alabama Art,” a collection of portraits of 12 Alabama artists and their works. The book won the Mary Ellen Lopresti ARLIS/Southeast Publishing Award for “Best Art Book” published that year in the Southeast.

With pieces most recently on display in 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, Nall's art can be seen across the world.

But one needn't travel too far to catch a glimpse of the internationally renowned artist's work — in 2017, Nall donated $540,000 worth of his art to the College of Education. The collection is on display inside Carmichael Hall, with some pieces in the second-floor hallway and the rest adorning the walls of the Nall Gallery on the third floor. His artwork can also be seen at the Nall Studio Museum in Fairhope as well as the NALL Museum in the International Arts Center on the Troy campus.

Nall was a gifted artist who garnered an international following and was awarded numerous accolades. He was named Alabama’s Distinguished Artist of the Year by the Alabama State Council on the Arts in 2007, inducted into the Alabama Center for the Arts Hall of Fame in 2016, and honored in 2018 by being named an Alabama Humanities Fellow.

“Nall will be remembered as one of America’s greatest artists,” said Dr. Jack Hawkins Jr., chancellor of Troy University.