Nancy MacLachlan

As a child, Nancy loved drawing in her spare time at home, and at school where the teachers nurtured her emerging skills. Soft pastels were the medium she was taught to use there, but the only art instruction she received was informal. 

Fast forward through high school, college (nursing major), and forty-plus years of working as an RN and raising a family Nancy found herself wondering if she could still draw.  So she studied with Rob Michmerhuizen, and then Deb Bowen, both Gallery Uptown artists, transitioning into her chosen medium, soft pastel. Several workshops with nationally known pastel artists have brought new concepts and techniques to her creative process. Today, Nancy works exclusively in soft pastels, having joyfully (and surprisingly) rediscovered a long-neglected talent.

Nancy has this to say about her work:

“I paint primarily from photos taken during travels with my husband, Jim. Some favorite painting subjects are Michigan waterways, flora and fauna, and trees anywhere. As the family genealogist, trips to areas where ancestors have lived are especially evocative for me. Ireland is a never-ending source of mystery and beauty, not just because of the breath-taking scenery, but because of the people and stories I have been discovering in my genealogy work there. I feel a special connection to the country and am transported as I paint a scene, meditating on my family that went before. I hope the viewer shares the joy I feel as I paint, at long last!”

Selected Shows and Awards:

Ottawa County Art Trust Exhibition: Hudsonville, MI
Gallery Uptown Winter Arts Festival, Donna Balavitch Memorial Award 2019, AHC Award 2013: Grand Haven, MI
Celebration of the Arts – A Festival of Spiritual Arts, First United Methodist Church: Grand Rapids, MI
ArtPrize: Grand Rapids, MI

Festival of the Arts Regional Arts Exhibition: Grand Rapids, MI
Holland Area Arts Council  Great Lakes Pastel Society National Exhibit 2018: Holland, MI
Great Lakes Pastel Society Members Exhibit: South Haven, MI
‪Muskegon Museum of Art Michigan Contemporary Art Exhibition (Regional): Muskegon, MI
Invitational Exhibit, Bettye Clark Canon Gallery 2014 “Art in our City”: Muskegon, MI
LowellArts! West Michigan Regional Art Competition: Lowell, MI

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