Nancy is an artist printmaker who derives inspiration for her work from friends and family, from the news media, and from other artists including Sue Coe, Judy Chicago, Franz Cline and Robert Motherwell. She uses art as a language to convey information about issues that are important to her. Sometimes she rages, but mostly she quietly submits to the viewer conceptual, political narratives about her issues with the hope that the viewer will understand her passion.
Much of her imagery is about the stresses that women experience as a result of culturally accepted discrimination and violence against women in the U.S.A. and other countries. Often, she uses metaphors such as the vessel or corset or cages to illustrate her message. Her goal is to present art to the viewing public that raises awareness and bears witness to the difficult lives of women in many places around the world.
In addition to conceptual work, Nancy has also created a body of abstract work. She creates pieces with strong, gestural, weighted line, and imposes it on very delicate, soft lines and marks. This work is, at times, stark and architectural and at times organic and dynamic. Mostly, it is in contrasting black and white. Her objective is to engage the viewing audience in the dialogue between the different lines and marks.
Nancy creates both intaglio and collagraph prints. Etching is one intaglio technique that she uses, in which a zinc plate is etched with acid. When a plate is completely developed, ink is rolled or wiped on to it, paper laid on top of it, and it is run through a printing press. In this way, she is able to make multiples of her prints. Many times, she uses multiple plates in register, printing one after the other. Color may be part of the print making process but occasionally, some hand coloring is added after the print has dried.
Her prints display a love of line, simplicity, and efficiency… to say a lot with a little. By manipulating the materials, layering the ink, building history of line and texture through the printing matrix, she attempts to realize the elusive essence of the thought. Nancy enjoys the process, which is of equal or greater importance to her than the finished piece.