Nicholas Hankins has been teaching William Alexander's "wet-on-wet" painting technique  since receiving his first credentials with the Alexander Art Corporation based in Salem, Oregon in October 1998.

     Nic has enjoyed a life-long passion for art,  inspired by the talents of his Father, Jerry, and encouraged by both his parents since the "crayon days".  Certain that art would forever be a very important part of his life, Nic enrolled at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville in the autumn of 2000 to further his art education, and earned his B.F.A. in Studio Art in the spring of 2005. 

Nic's work remains rooted in realism with elements of graphic design.  His work is heavily influenced by some wonderful teachers, such as Buck Paulson and Robert Warren, with whom he has studied, and artist friends who have influenced his work in myriad ways.

     As a painter, Nic has taught oil painting to many enthusiastic students in East Tennessee, and has demonstrated and taught at the Alexander Art Corporation's "Silver Falls Seminar" in Silverton, Oregon.  He has participated in several solo and group exhibitions of his work.   Some of his work may be viewed in the online gallery at www.threeflightsup.com and the "gallery" page of this website. 

     When not pursuing his artistic ambitions, Nic may quite often be found indulging his other great passion: steam railroading.  A volunteer on the locomotive crew at the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Nic has been actively involved in the restoration and operation of historic steam locomotives on three different railroads since 2001.