In the know.

At a very young age, Norman Sugg began to draw to push away childhood boredom. As he grew older, it became more than a pastime, it became a career. Sugg’s talents were utilized by NASA to develop their manuals with detailed drawings of space capsules and other equipment. He went on to work for many years at Camp Mabry just outside of Austin. Perhaps one of the highlights of his career was when Lady Bird Johnson happened to see an ink drawing Sugg had made of the camp. She was so impressed that she asked to use his artwork on the invitations to a garden party she hosted. He went on to serve as an art teacher for over twenty years, passing his gift along to other aspiring artists.  

Sugg retired in Huntsville, eventually moving into Creekside. As he transitioned into the community, he met Jennifer Nickell, the Marketing Director at the community. As she worked to help him get settled, the pair seemed to make a special bond.

Only a few weeks after moving in, Sugg even gave Jennifer a new nickname, calling her the “Princess of the Palace,” because he always saw her giving tours and showcasing the community with such grace and kindness. One day, Sugg came to Jennifer’s office with a request, “Can I draw you?” he asked. Jennifer was stunned but answered with curiosity, “Sure! Why not?”

As an artist, Sugg had drawn many different things, but he had never mastered drawing curly hair, part of Jennifer’s signature look. He asked her for a reference photo, then set off to his apartment to take on the challenge. He struggled  to master the curls until he claims the method came to him in the middle of the night when he woke suddenly with the winning strategy.

“He worked on the project for roughly three weeks and I would go and check on him from time to time to see how it was going,” recalled Jennifer. During one of these visits, Sugg invited Jennifer to help him with the drawing. Jennifer had always wanted to draw but gave up the hobby after a junior high art teacher told her that she was no good and should not pursue artistry. Deflated, she abandoned her interest...that is until Sugg invited her to pick up a pencil and draw with him.

“Do you see the castle at the bottom? I drew that!” shared Jennifer with pride, “When he heard what my old teacher said, he was so upset making sure I knew that they were so wrong.” With a renewed sense of confidence, Jennifer learned how to properly hold the pencil, use a full pallet of color, and how to shade and blend, all taught by the retired art teacher. Sugg invited Jennifer to draw the entire castle portion, later adding her nickname to the piece as the final touch.

When asked why he chooses to draw portraits of people, Mr. Sugg explained that his aim is to reveal the best parts of his subjects to themselves. Through his art, he seeks to capture and reflect the most admirable qualities he perceives in them, offering a mirror that highlights their finest attributes.

Today, the portrait hangs in Jennifer’s office as a symbol of their friendship, a renewed passion for Jennifer, and a new skill mastered for Mr. Sugg. A portrait of friendship.

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