Throughout the month of May, The Artists’ Gallery will present a new body of work by Nancy R. Thomas in “Shore Light.” This show will feature the plein air paintings Nancy has completed in festivals up and down the Eastern Shore over the past year. If the doors to the gallery are not open to the public at the beginning of May due to the lingering effects of the COVID-19 outbreak, all of Nancy’s paintings will be showcased in the front window and on adjacent easels and panels so they may be viewed by the public safely from outside the gallery. Contact information will be posted in the window for anyone interested in purchasing a work of art.
“Early Morning, Broadkill River” oil (24×18) by Nancy R. Thomas
Painting on location presents many challenges that studio painting does not; however, the rewards are great. There is no better teacher of light, space, color and composition than painting from life. By immersing oneself in the elements the artist becomes one with the landscape, and self is forgotten, along with time and space. The all encompassing act of capturing a moment in time, takes priority to the point of self sacrifice. One forgets to drink, eat and protect oneself from the elements. It is simultaneously a most rewarding and most demanding event and all else is forgotten in the process.
Nancy came to the Eastern Shore in 1994 from Alexandria, VA., where she pursued dual careers of dancing and painting for over two decades. Her painting classes were taken at The Torpedo Factory, The Corcoran School of Art, A Project Study Tour of Italy and Northern Virginia Community College, where she earned an Associates Degree in Fine Art in 1990. Thomas is a signature member of the Baltimore Watercolor Society and past member of The Washington Watercolor Association.
Lighthouse Lavender” oil (12×9) by Nancy R. Thomas
Upon moving to the Eastern Shore, she was juried into the Working Artists Forum, where she has held many board positions including President for three years. She is an associate member of Oil Painters of America and paints with The Plein Air Painters of the Chesapeake Bay. She has been instrumental in producing and running the Local Color Show held each year in conjunction with Plein Air Easton. She was juried into Plein Air Easton in 2018 and in 2019 participated in Paint the Town, Chestertown, Paint Stevensville, Paint Annapolis, Crisfield Plein Air, Ellicott City, Ocean City, Berlin and Chincoteague Plein Air events. She finds the light of the Eastern Shore to be captivating and enjoys capturing the waterways and dramatic skies on canvas.
The Artists’ Gallery is located at 239 High Street in the heart of downtown Chestertown. For more information about the Artists’ Gallery, please call 410-778-2425 (when the gallery has reopened) or visit www.theartistsgalleryctown.com and www.facebook.com/6goodpainters.
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