NANCY NORMAN 

ARTIST STATEMENT

FROM THE FIRST TIME SHE PICKED UP A PENCIL, NANCY NORMAN WAS IN LOVE WITH ART. RAISED IN CALIFORNIA, NANCY STUDIED ART AND DRAMA AT SACRAMENTO STATE UNIVERSITY, COLLEGE OF THE REDWOODS AND HUMBOLDT STATE UNIVERSITY. NANCY CONSIDERS BOB BENSON AT COLLEGE OF THE REDWOODS TO BE HER GREATEST INFLUENCE, ALONG WITH PAINTERS FROM THE IMPRESSIONIST PERIOD OF ART.  NANCY’S WORK FOCUSES ON WATERCOLORS AND ACRYLICS WITH AN INCREASING EMPHASIS ON ACRYLICS ON CANVAS.

“I AM INSPIRED BY NATURE, BY PEOPLE IN EVERYDAY SITUATIONS, BY MY LIFE EXPERIENCES, INCLUDING MY TRAVELS TO TROPICAL ISLANDS. WHEN I SEE OR HEAR OF THE WORK OF OTHER ARTISTS WHO ARE DOING SOMETHING ASTOUNDINGLY WELL, IT BECOMES HIGHLY MOTIVATING FOR ME. I WORK FROM THE MEMORY OF VISUAL IMAGES AND FROM THE FEELINGS THAT THEY EVOKE. MY FAVORITE WORK HAS THE INTENSE IRRATIONAL REALITY OF A DREAM.

PAINTING IS A TYPE OF MEDITATION: THERE IS JUST ME, THE BRUSH, JOYOUS COLOR; AND MUSIC. ALMOST ALWAYS, I HAVE A PAINTING IN PROGRESS ON MY TABLE. A SIGN OVER MY TABLE PROCLAIMS, 'YOU CAN PAINT ANYTHING YOU WANT'. THE IDEA FOR THE TITLE OF A PAINTING MAY COME TO ME BEFORE I EVEN HAVE A VISION OF WHAT IT IS I WANT TO PAINT, AS IS OFTEN THE CASE WHEN THE SUBJECT IS HUMOROUS. EITHER WAY, I AM EVENTUALLY DRIVEN TO PAINT THE IMAGE ONCE THE IDEA IS IN MY MIND.”

NANCY HAS WON MANY LOCAL, STATE AND INTERNATIONAL AWARDS IN JURIED COMPETITIONS. HER WORK HAS BEEN SHOWN IN SEATTLE, NEW YORK, LOS ANGELES, AND IN MANY PRIVATE COLLECTIONS THROUGHOUT THE U.S. AND ABROAD. SEVERAL OF HER IMAGES WERE PUBLISHED AS GREETING CARDS AND SELL IN THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, AND ENGLAND.