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I
have been creating art nearly my entire life.
Early in my career as a budding artist, I explored differe
nt mediums and different approaches to creating art. I have come, now, to
settle on working in oils and painting directly from life, and it is this direct
communion with whatever I am painting that I thrive on.
I almost always paint from life – the living breathing model, an actual
arrangement of still life objects, and the complexity of a landscape with the
excitement of ever changing light.
I find painting from life inspiring because there is a subtle connection,
a subtle energy in all subjects, which I believe can only be felt through direct
and immediate experience, kind of like meditating. Capturing and distilling this
ever-present living change in paint is the key to understanding my work, and it
is what I try to capture, without forcing it, but by just letting the process
flow where it will. I do this by simplifying what I see and by pushing light and
shadow to create compelling forms that are only loosely based on what I actually
see. I
then arrange the forms on the canvas with the intention of both invoking an
emotional response in the viewer, as well as awakening an inner awareness; thus,
allowing the viewer to directly participate in the work.
And this is very exciting, when I am able to pull a viewer into the
painting to not only become a part of what is seen, but to also experience a
taste of what I, myself, experienced while actually painting. In this way, I am
blurring the boundaries between the subject, the painter, and the viewer.
Clearly, I am not out to duplicate the purely visual, for any camera could most
certainly do better, but rather to go beyond those limits, to grab hold of the
essence that lies behind the image and to then translate that into
pigment on canvas, involving myself and a viewer as well.
I find this approach very challenging. It forces me to constantly evolve
as a painter, because I constantly strive to lose myself in my subject and to
let it take control, allowing the subject to push the limits of what I see.
Interestingly, I often feel I am as much of a tool in the process as my brushes
and paints.
I
am mostly a self-taught painter, but I did attend art classes at the Montseratte
School, MA; Front Range Community College, CO; and the Denver Art Students
League, CO. Although
I learned a lot from these academic experiences, I still felt restricted in what
I could accomplish with painting.
I felt I was in a tiny box, and I desperately wanted to break out of it.
As
a result of an odd set of circumstances, chance, and intuition, I moved to Taos
in 1997, and this was pivotal to my growth as a painter. I discovered that Taos
is the perfect place for me. The colorful diversity of cultures, the benign
conflict between traditional and progressive thought, and the tremendous
community of artists here have strongly influenced my ability to look and to
live outside the box.
After
arriving in Taos and settling in, I discovered that the art culture in Taos was
very rich and thriving.
I found both a figure drawing group and a painting group that met every
week, and I quickly signed myself up.
It was a very exciting time for me because I was filled with a passion to
not only paint but to evolve as a painter.
And here I was surrounded by some of the top artists in the country, and
I observed and questioned, and we became friends.
They all taught me much, and I am still inspired by them, but what I
mostly learned from these casual drawing and painting sessions was to simplify,
to focus on a few things, and to then go beyond those things, and to bring out
something in the subject not visually apparent at first glance.
I learned that I could say something through paint as a result.
I next hooked up with a strong group of dedicated painters who were painting portraits on Saturday mornings. Again, I learned a lot from painting with these artists, all very different in their approach and who allowed me the freedom to develop and express my own voice. This group evolved into the Taos Society of Portrait Artists, a non-profit organization, which still meets every Saturday morning.
During
this time, I attended workshops of several well-respected Taos’ artists, such
as Laura Robb, Don Ward, and Dorothy Lampl.
I also participated in numerous art exhibitions in Taos since 2001,
including shows at the Stables Art Center, the Millicent Rogers Museum, the Taos
Art Museum and Fechin House, and the prestigious Taos Invites Taos show.
I am the current president of the Taos Society of Portrait Artists, and I
currently host the Thursday evening open figure drawing group, which has been
on-going in Taos for over 30 years. I
also moderate the Taos Art blog taosart.blogspot.com
Clearly,
Taos is now home for me, and it would be difficult for me to leave.
All that has gone on before has led to my being here.
I intuitively feel that I am supposed to be in Taos and painting now.
It’s the only thing that makes sense to me.
Today
I make my home and studio in Arroyo Seco, New Mexico, with my husband
Gorus,
our three dogs Hazel, Sugar Bee, and Yoshi; an ornery llama, Boggs; and many cats.
Nancy Delpero
HCR 74 Box 22628
El Prado, New Mexico 87529
(505) 776-1137