DPNM: Nance, when did you first identify yourself professionally as an artist?
NM: I don’t remember a specific point where the word PROFESSIONAL entered into the frame of my artistic life. Painting was what I was doing and the natural progression was to understand that my the WHOLE of my painting would include business too.
DPNM:What does CPS stand for?
NM: CPS is Connecticut Pastel Society. Some years back I was working in Connecticut and found the greatest bunch of painters to spend time with. CPS had all different sorts of styles of paintiers in pastel. So I applied for signature membership with them and I am very pleased to be able to use those initials after my name.
DPNM: What life experiences led to your making the decision to become an artist?
NM: My mother was a painter and an art collector. I started taking art lessons in grade school in the atelier of Emily von Auw. Mother and I used to go to the Albuquerque Zoo with our brush painting tools to paint for the day. We both especially loved the otters. They offer wonderful gesturals. As far as I was concerned I was always going to be a painter.
DPNM: What famous artists, past and present, are your greatest influences?
NM: Oh gosh...I am going to forget someone....Artemisia Gentileschi, Camille Claudel, Joseph Wright of Derby, Pierre-Paul Prud’hon, N.C. Wyeth (we share the same birthday), Edwin Henry Landseer, J.M.W. Turner, Edward Lear, Aldro Hibbard, Lilian Westcote Hale, Pamela Colman Smith, Emily Mason,Tim Cherry, Tom Perkinson, Cheri Christensen, Peter Seltzer, Duane Wakeham, Bill Creevy and Alexandrine Bartlett.
DPNM: Describe for us your unique approach to painting.
NM: I can’t answer that. I don’t THINK of my work being unique. That is to say....when you are in the midst of something I am not sure that you know it’s unique (other than you are the only one painting it at the moment). I think it takes someone from ”outside” of the process to be able to point out the uniqueness.
DPNM: How have you created a workspace that stimulates or invites the art process ?
NM: The main point to my studio area is that I don’t have to tear it down to eat dinner or to offer a place for houseguests to stay. My 20 foot shelf of artist’s raisonnes and reference materials are right there. I did have a skylight put in for overall diffusion. Painting can be immediate being a pastel painter; so it is important to me that I can leave my materials out 24/7 and not worry about people or dogs getting into ”trouble”.
DPNM: Does it include music and, if so, who are your favorite musical artists or selections?
NM: My husband and I both work at home. So, if we have music playing it will be something we can both work to at the same time. That’s pretty much everything. If I want to play opera I wait until he is out running errands.
DPNM: How do you balance family, home and work?
NM: Happily, our family is my husband, 2 dogs, 5 birds, and 2 horses...and a feral cat that just adopted us who is working on the vermin avenue outside. So mainly the family balancing is a division of chores more that a worry of time.
DPNM: What hobbies or activities do you enjoy?
NM: Playing with our animals takes up most of my non-working time.
DPNM: What is your favorite art quote?
NM: I noticed that, in the previous interview, Martha quoted Rumi. What a wonderful source for inspiration. My understanding is that he wrote 12 poems a day for 12 years. Talk about dedication to your work. My first response to the question is from Robert Henri: Lots of starts.....don’t worry about finishing the paintings...the finishes will take care of themselves.
DPNM: What business strategies have worked best for you as an artist?
NM: First of all.....remember that it IS a business. I don’t know many artists that do that. And if you don’t treat your ”studio” as a business....no one else will either. I give 40% of my studio time to marketing therefore I have two rules of thumb: keep it organized and think WAY into the future. DPNM: How has the disciplinary practice of daily painting effected your work?
NM: I have opened up a lot. I find it very freeing to paint smaller and try all sorts of subjects and style ideas that I would not have tried on a larger scale. Even better it’s easier to ”start” another one if I am not happy with the first idea.
DPNM: What advice would you give an artist just starting out in today's world ?
NM: The main thing that I think anyone needs to learn to pursue art is PROCESS. You have to enjoy process. With that in mind studying everything from art history to composition to color theory is all part of the process. Good days and bad days are all part of the process.The goal in art should never feel like a finish line but a path to follow and be part of....here we go with that ” lots of starts concept.” Having a mentor can make a tremendous difference to ”seeing” changes in your work. Don’t listen to friends unless they are in a creative business. Friends will lie to not hurt your feelings. However buyers and gallery owners won’t so you don’t want bad work to get out of your studio in the first place.