Nancy McLaughlin

I paint with acrylic on canvas and have worked with other water-based paints and pastels as well. My preferred surface is canvas, but I also paint on watercolor paper and experimental surfaces like Tyvek.

My compositions develop through a relationship between naturalistic forms, often landscapes or organic shapes, and purely non-objective forms. I work from both memory and observation, but my goal is to subjugate that realism into a thought provoking abstraction. I enjoy working within the tension that develops between the natural and the manipulated version which evolves through my interpretation. My best paintings conjure up the essence of a particular place or time infused with my original vision, and can bring that unique and new vision to the viewer’s experience.

I work on unstretched canvas attached to a large board. I prefer having a hard surface in order to apply a firm pressure on the canvas. The canvas is then stretched on stretcher bars when the painting is complete. I sometimes use an object or photo for my subject matter, but often I recall a place or reaction to a moment, then challenge myself to create an image that captures its inner substance. I start with an arrangement of contrasting shapes, then build several layers of expressive color, energetic brushwork and mark-making. I use large brushes and palette knives to lay the groundwork, then apply progressively smaller marks as the forms take shape.

For more information about the artist, please visit her website.