Nancy Willis
Nancy Willis lives and works in Napa Valley, CA and holds an M.F.A. in painting from San Francisco Art Institute. Through an additive and subtractive process in painting and printmaking, she often dissolves the line between representation and abstraction. An unmade bed, sparkling chandeliers and the remains of a dinner party are motifs the artist employs to explore themes of intimacy and human connection. Color and light play a large role in her work to evoke a sense of place. Willis paints from her own life experiences, depicting domestic and outdoor scenes including her two-year painting series about the 2020 Glass Fire that destroyed much of her neighborhood. Willis’ curatorial projects include two large exhibitions at the Napa Valley Museum; “Discrepancy/living in war and peace” which honored the 10th anniversary of 9/11 and “NOURISH” which explored the rituals around dining. Her ongoing project “Conflict Zone” examines how violence against women is used as a strategy of war. The series has expanded to include work about Ukraine, Israel, and Gaza. In 2023, Willis received grants to fund her Artists’ Trellis project which brought together local artists with policy makers, and civic leaders to raise awareness about issues affecting local artists. Nancy Willis is four-time Startup Art Fair alumni, having participated in SF, Chicago, Houston, LA and in 2025 returning to StArtup SF. Her paintings and monoprints have been exhibited in Houston, Cincinnati, Brooklyn, San Francisco and Palo Alto. Willis continues to teach at the Napa Valley College and Nimbus Arts. In 2007 she launched Path of an Artist curated art and travel experiences. The annual trips offer artists restorative time to paint in France, Sundance, Mendocino and Hudson Valley, NY.
For more information about the artist, please visit her website.