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Alabama Center for the Arts Receives Bequest fro m Hall of Fame Artist Nall Hollis

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Internationally acclaimed Alabama artist leaves “To Kill a Mockingbird I” to the center’s permanent Alabama Arts Hall of Fame installation

DECATUR, AL — The Alabama Center for the Arts has received a significant gift to its gallery collection: a painted giclee mixed medium piece titled “To Kill a Mockingbird I,” bequeathed by internationally acclaimed Alabama artist Fred “Nall” Hollis, a 2016 inductee of the Alabama Arts Hall of Fame. The center received the artwork on Oct. 9, 2025. An announcement will be made once the piece has been hung and is available for public viewing.

Nall, an Alabama native known for his floral and naturalistic aesthetic and his deep ties to the region, produced the piece as a tribute to the legacy of author Harper Lee. His selection of the work for this bequest carries special significance. Truman Capote, upon whom Lee based the beloved character Dill Harris in “To Kill a Mockingbird,” is also an Alabama Arts Hall of Fame inductee, creating a meaningful connection between two of the Hall’s honored figures.

Nall passed away Sept. 14, 2024. His decision to leave the piece to the Alabama Center for the Arts reflects his commitment to the state’s cultural legacy and his belief in the center’s mission to promote and preserve artistic excellence.

The piece is part of a broader chapter in the center’s growth. The Foundation for the Alabama Center for the Arts was recently established to raise the center’s profile and expand its impact, with the Alabama Arts Hall of Fame serving as a cornerstone of its new Urban Art Initiative.

“This bequest is a profound honor,” said Kim Parker, Executive Director of the Alabama Center for the Arts. “Nall’s work embodies the artistic excellence we celebrate through the Hall of Fame, and having ‘To Kill a Mockingbird I’ as part of our permanent collection connects our community to something truly extraordinary. We are grateful he chose the Alabama Center for the Arts as the home for this piece.”

The Alabama Arts Hall of Fame recognizes individuals who have achieved preeminence in their respective fields of artistic expression. Inductees are honored through ceremonies, museum services and a permanent exhibition at the Alabama Center for the Arts.