Historic Photographer Showcased at the Reese Bullen Gallery

Nina Platte, Nida Deal, Sis Heaton, Ruth Dunbar, and Nina Platte, 1913, collected by Lora Webb Nichols

• Opening Reception Event, Thursday February 15th, 2024, 4:30-6:00 PM, Reese Bullen Gallery, Cal Poly Humboldt, Arcata CA 
• Curator Talk Wednesday March 6th, 5pm-6pm in ArtB room 102, Lecture Hall, Cal Poly Humboldt, Arcata CA 

Lora Webb Nichols, Mary Anderson, 1911

The Reese Bullen Gallery at Cal Poly Humboldt campus showcases an exhibition curated by Professor and Art + Film Department Chair Nicole Jean Hill. Through research and collaborative preservation with the archive located in Wyoming, the exhibition features works by photographer Lora Webb Nichols (1883-1962) who created and collected approximately 24,000 negatives over the course of her lifetime in the mining town of Encampment. The images chronicle the domestic, social, and economic aspects of the sparsely populated frontier of south-central Wyoming. 

Given the period of time the collection spans, the isolation of the Encampment community, and Lora Webb Nichols’ gender, this collection of images is unparalleled in its historical significance and visual storytelling. Photography enthusiasts and historians are encouraged to explore more of Lora’s photographs and writings online through the American Heritage Center (Laramie, Wyoming) or in person at the Grand Encampment Museum. 

Lora Webb Nichols, Winters and McCarthy, 1933

The exhibition “Lora Webb Nichols: Photographs Made, Photographs Collected, 1988-1935”, will run from February 15th through March 16th at the Reese Bullen Gallery. We will hold an Opening Reception Thursday February 15th from 4:30pm-6pm at the Reese Bullen Gallery, with light refreshments. Nicole Jean Hill will host a Curator Talk Wednesday March 6th, 5pm-6pm in ArtB room 102, Lecture Hall. All are welcome to attend. 

The Reese Bullen Gallery, named in honor of a founding professor of the Art Department, was established in 1970. The gallery is located in the Cal Poly Humboldt Art Building, at the intersection of B Street and Laurel Drive, directly across from the Van Duzer Theatre. The gallery is open Wednesday/Thursday 12pm-6pm, Friday 11am-5pm, Saturday 11am-2pm. Closed Sunday-Tuesday. Also open via appointment, please contact the Gallery Director at [email protected], or call 707-826-5818. Admission is free and all are welcome. For campus parking information, please visit humboldt.edu/parking. 

More information on Lora Webb Nichols Archive: https://www.lorawebbnichols.org/