Perhaps the semi-nomadic life of military families has shaped Nancy Tankersley’s career and aesthetic. While many artists find their subject and style early, Tankersley enjoys finding new interests and new ways to express herself. Her upcoming show Wanderings at the d’Art Center in Norfolk, Virginia, encompasses the full breadth of her subjects, from figures and portraits, to landscapes and still life.
Baltimore Bound, oil, 36 x 48"
Beginning her artistic journey as a portrait painter, Tankersley frequently uses the human form as a vehicle to converse and connect with her viewers. She gained national notice and gallery representation early in the 1990s with her paintings of families on the beach, and then moved on to depicting people at work.
d'Art Center, Georgia Morning, oil, 36 x 36" by Nancy Tankersley
The explosion of the plein air movement in the United States at the turn of the century added another challenge for Tankersley. She came to view the landscape as a worthy subject in its own right and the opportunity to paint in plein air competitions throughout the country and teach abroad have allowed her to view different topographies. She describes herself as a “contemporary impressionist,” meaning that her subjects are of this time and that she is trying to convey her impressions of and the emotions stirred by a scene rather than present a detailed, photographic rendering. Known for her natural brushwork, lately she has enjoyed employing other tools to apply the paint, resulting in a variety of paint application and a more contemporary look. “I am more driven by the beauty of a single shape or brushstroke in a painting than by subject matter,” says Tankersley.
d'Art Center, Saved, Cologne Cathedral, oil, 30 x 30", by Nancy Tankersley
Wanderings: A Collection of Artworks by Nancy Tankersley opens at the Norfolk d’Art Center with a reception on September 15 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and remains on view through October 12. The exhibit will also be available virtually on d’Art’s archival site at www.artworkarchive.com/profile/d-art-center/exhibitions. —
Want to See More?
www.nancytankersley.cog
Represented by d’Art Center
740 Boush Street | Norfolk, VA 23510
(757) 625-4211 | www.d-artcenter.org
Facebook: /nancy.tankersley
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