Nancy R. West

Going In Circles - Mixed Media

Artist Statement

Painting in oils has long been Nancy’s preference.  Choosing oils as a medium enables her to use a delicate, multilayered glazing technique that results in work often suggestive of watercolor paintings.  Unlike watercolors, however, oils offer a richness of color and blending capabilities which give Nancy’s work it’s distinct look.  In the paintings of egrets and herons for which she is particularly noted, Nancy strives for tranquility and softness through skilled use of color and composition. Training in classical drawing techniques and advanced color theory gives her work an underlying strength, while her delicate treatment of the medium imparts a gentle elegance.

Artist Biography

Formal training started at age 10 with a talented and gifted program at Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh PA.  By age 14 she was studying on weekends at Carnegie Tech, now known as Carnegie Mellon University.  She was graduated from The College of William and Mary in Williamsburg VA with high honors, completing her honors thesis in portraiture.  Classical drawing training and color theory were studied at Barnstone Studios, an outstanding atelier in Coplay PA.  Learning never stops as she continues to participate in workshops.