Capturing fleeting moments in nature
Nancy Chambers has been drawing and painting since she was very young, finding happiness and fulfillment in artistic expression. After a successful career in the charity sector, where she ran large fundraising campaigns and met many remarkable people, Nancy began painting professionally in 2019. Despite the challenges of the pandemic that followed, she used the lockdown period to develop her craft further. Over recent years, she has exhibited alongside respected British artists including Grayson Perry, Antony Gormley, Maggie Hambling, and Anish Kapoor, with her work now finding homes around the world.
From Charity to Canvas
Nancy's journey to becoming a professional artist took her through diverse experiences and locations. Growing up near the trout streams of Hampshire, she later worked as a hat designer in Leicester, taught in Edinburgh, and became a charity leader in London. Eventually settling in Bristol twenty years ago to raise her family, Nancy now enjoys being a grandparent to six while pursuing her artistic career. Her background in various creative fields and charity work has enriched her perspective as an artist.
Distinctive Artistic Approach
Nancy aims to capture the essence rather than literal interpretations of her subjects, working with both colour and the textural qualities of paint. She employs innovative techniques—using needles to paint dandelions and creating her own palette knives from recycled plastic for her popular poppy paintings. While known for her interpretative seascapes, landscapes, and abstract works (usually in acrylics with some collage and mixed media), Nancy also developed a series of small fruit paintings during the first UK lockdown when art supplies were limited. These pieces focus on light and colour, capturing fleeting moments in nature that continue to inspire her work, whether observing a pear, the delicate petals of a poppy, or the bloom of a plum.