east washington life
Terence Nicholson A Polymath Walks Among Us
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by Phil Hutinet
hat sign are you?” saxophonist Steve Coleman asked Terence Nicholson. “A Virgo” Nicholson replied. “You guys are good at starting things but not good at finishing them” Coleman declared assuredly. “That was just the thing to say to me to keep me going!” said Nicholson laughing. He had just discovered martial arts, a sport that would become his lifelong passion. The year was 1994. Nicholson, a 26 year-old Anacostia native and budding lyricist, found himself touring nationally and internationally with a progressive jazz band. Nicholson recalls that Coleman frequently played martial art films in the background when they travelled between sets. Intrigued by what he saw, Nicholson decided to find a studio in DC’s Chinatown and take classes between tours. Ultimately, Coleman’s veiled insult motivated Nicholson to deepen his martial arts practice. Now a Fourth Duan, 19th Generation Disciple of Wudang Longmen (Dragon’s Gate) lineage of the Tian Shan Pai style of Kung Fu, Nicholson’s mastery of the martial art not only shaped his worldview and philosophical outlook but gave him the discipline he needed to pursue and succeed at several artistic disciplines all of which, like Kung Fu, require repetition to achieve prodigious results. A true polymath, Nicholson not only excels at Kung Fu, but also fronts local DC hardcore band Thayobleu. He also has a thriving practice as a visual artist and, more recently, has begun to flourish as a curator at the Anacostia Arts Center, Katzen Arts Center at American University Museum and the Hirshhorn Museum.
Terence Nicholson. Courtesy of the artist
Thayobleu at the 9:30 Club. Photo Credit Roxplosion
Early Influences and Education
Born in Washington, DC and raised in Anacostia where hzHigh School in northeast DC. Nicholson reminisces fondly about his education at Archbishop Carol and believes it laid the groundwork for his love of learning. Nicholson then attended Corcoran School of Art from 1987-1991 where he received a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts. His Fine Arts education provided him with the basics for what would become his critically acclaimed installation and sculptural work. It also connected him with many teaching artists and created a network that he relies on as he advances in his career as a visual artist, installer and curator.
Nicholson’s Musical Journey
Nicholson’s musical odyssey began as a lyricist traveling with a progres-
