Nick Heille, arts visionary, gone at 83

Nick Heille passed away on Christmas Eve. That news is a reflection point. I have known Nick for over a quarter century. Northeast Minneapolis has changed and Nick was a big part of that movement.  He wanted to reinvigorate his community from down-and-out to shining beacon of arts and culture and he succeeded. While Nick is not the first to pass from the movers and shakers of the start of the Northeast art movement he was one of the biggest and most persistent voices of that Northeast arts generation.

Nick and Rosie, his wife, (they were inseparable) would visit Northeast artist studios on a regular basis. They would inform us of city policies, developers trying to put one over on us. Inform us of opportunities and ask us if we knew this artist or that one. They would admire our artwork and tell us how great we were. They would purchase artists’ works for their collection. They were the whole package.

Nick and Rosie introduced themselves to Layl and me during the 1997 or 1998 Art-A-Whirl® at our original home studio in our attic on Taylor Street. They had noticed the mini map I had created for the smaller individual studios to pass out for each other. Nick wanted some so he could hand them out and get more people to all our studios.

Nick had a booming voice and loved to make proclamations.

I remember him calling me magnanimous. I had no idea what he was saying or what that meant (no cell phones or Google at that time to look it up).  He was very impressed that I wanted to help others and bring them into the event. He wanted to get me and others more involved with NEMAA and Art-A-Whirl.  He invited me in. How could I resist, I was all in, as I wanted to be a part of the arts community.

Whenever there was a meeting Nick and Rosie were always there. He would have lots to say and was in love with the arts community. He saw artists as the next phase of Northeast. The catalyst that could bring life back to a glorious past of industry and workers making things for a greater good. A constant promoter and defender of the arts who knew everyone. Some called him the Mayor of NE. Nick and Rosie would show up at my studio on a regular basis to talk about the arts community.  His belief in future leaders in our arts community was important to a young late 20s early 30-something. You have ideas but you need people to nurture you and validate your ideas. Nick was that person to me.

Even years later and after he had a stroke he still made his rounds. He was more edgy and snappy because he could not express his ideas the way he wanted to. The Northeast Minneapolis Arts District was excited to be able to give Nick and Rosie one of our first Vision Awards in 2015. He was a visionary in every sense of that word. We will miss him. Condolences to Rosie and his family.

— Josh Blanc

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Strib obituary

Nicholas ‘Nick’ Heille