Sparkling colors, slashing texture, and sensational energy are the elements that catch your attention entering a space occupied by artist Nancy Christy-Moore's large canvases. The experience of imagined thundering echoes of stampeding wild horses gabs your attention and provides an experience you won't soon forget. Nancy grew up in Iowa and Indiana, loving the creative process from a young age. She described her first influencer as her mother, "My mom was a fashion illustrator, who first introduced me to the concept of seeing just looking at the world. She accomplished this by setting up still-life props for me to draw and paint." Eventually, she encouraged Nancy to develop her skills further by providing the funds for professional drawing and painting lessons, which resulted in Nancy majoring in Art at Columbia College in Columbia, Missouri. Nancy would move on to the American Academy of Art in Chicago and Art Center School in Los Angeles to study their commercial art programs.
Nancy ended up not pursuing a career in commercial art; instead, she married, had a child, and didn't return to her art roots until her late 30s. At this point, Nancy decided to build her career in the area of fine art. She explains, "I started with watercolor, soon moving into the world of mixed media and abstract images, adding the excitement of texture, tangible shapes, and eye-popping color to my canvases." While living in Southern California and Kansas, Nancy exhibited her work with gallery representation and entered various juried art events in the community. Eventually, teaching painting and composition techniques gradually became part of Nancy’s artistic expression. Demand grew for her classes leading her to accept teaching positions for adult education classes in the local community colleges and art centers. Nancy would describe it as follows, "Teaching was an outlet for my creativity in encouraging others to develop their creative expressions."
Today, Nancy works and teaches from her home studio in Surprise, Arizona. Her high-energy, vividly rendered "mixed water media" canvases create a bold statement. She would tell you, “My paintings happen by creating chaos, and bringing order to them is my trademark style.” She uses intuitive painting techniques, which she calls her "inner painting,” drawing on her subconscious for ideas and imagery. She is also inspired by the beauty of the natural world, which includes a deep love and admiration for horses, whose spirit often seems connected to my own.
Nancy is a highly spontaneous painter composing paintings as she goes rather than planning ahead as she was taught. Her paintings are built using a layering process that encourages spontaneity and emotional engagement. She states, "With strong colors combined with energetic movement, I can express a strong and compelling story. I am always surprised by the images that evolve using this adventurous and somewhat less structured process.”
“My paintings happen by creating chaos, and bringing order to them is my trademark style.”
Over the years, Nancy has shown her work in over 20 solo exhibits, 2 of which were in Japan. Her paintings have been recognized nationally and internationally through numerous honors and awards. Today, artist Nancy Christy-Moore works from her studio in Surprise, Arizona. Raku Gallery in Jerome, The Visions Fine Art Gallery in Sedona, and The Ground Floor Artists Gallery in Surprise represent Nancy's work. She is a member of Ground Floor Artists and the Arizona Art Alliance. She welcomes inquiries for workshops and demonstrations, which can be scheduled for you or a group by contacting her. Visits to her Surprise studio are welcomed and encouraged to glimpse her work in progress and enjoy finished pieces.
Email: nancy@nchristy.com
Website: www.nchristy.com
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