“Being a painter is what I am, rather than what I do.”
American artist Nance Mc Manus has been studying to paint her whole life. While she was in elementary school Nance studied on Saturdays with New Mexico painter Emilie von Auw.
“My mother received a fine arts degree from Stanford and painting is what we did together. We would pack a lunch and head to the Albuquerque zoo with our Chinese brush painting equipment. I remember my favourite animal to paint were the otters.”
Mc Manus moved back home to New Mexico, with her English husband, after living almost 10 years in Europe. “I still hear the voices of the living artists and also the historical masters of art that I studied with in England, France, and, especially, Italy.”
The biggest change for Nance was winning a scholarship from the Scottsdale Artist’s School to study with Howard Post. “I ended up rushing headlong into a passion with pastels. The freedom I have whilst working in pastels keeps me enthusiastic about painting all the time. I embrace the happy accidents!”
If you watch HAWAII FIVE-O you will see Mc Manus’ paintings. “My mother’s family is from Hawaii so I am in a gallery there. It’s very cool to see your art on TV.”
Being accepted into the Chianciano Art Museum Biennale in September of 2011 has happily catapulted Nance Mc Manus’ name into an international audience. She was awarded a prize for works on paper by the European Confederation of Art Critics.
With a successful Kickstarter project a book of Nance’s paintings: “PASTEL PASSION: BIRDS” was self- published. “I am continually challenged by the images of birds, their shape, colour, and motion. Birds are built form for function and it makes them compositionally exquisite.”
“My life just continues to get better. I am working full time in my studio and taking breaks riding my horses. I embrace process most times having more than one painting at a time on the go. I also enjoy the exploration of materials especially when it comes to drawing and printing. I love it when paintings explode on to the different surfaces especially with the glorious colours of pastels. ”
2014 was the YEAR OF THE HORSE. Nance has been working and releasing, several series of hand-pulled prints reflecting her love of horses, especially for the celebrations.
“It’s 2023 now and I am busier than ever working with a new press in my studio! I am also embracing a new path working of charcoal drawings of my horses. Gotta love the journey!”
Selected U. S. Exhibitions & Awards
2023: PSNM Show – Millicent Rogers Museum, Taos, NM
2017: In the Studio -The Museum of Modern Art’s Education Building, NYC
2017: PSNM Small Works – Albuquerque, NM
2017: Trifecta: Three Painters – Studio J, Albuquerque, NM
2017: Group Show – Studio J, Albuquerque, NM
2017: Group Show – Seasons ABQ, Albuquerque, NM
2016: Signature Member Show- Pastel Society of New Mexico, Los Lunas Museum of Heritage
2016: ANIMALIA, Loveland Art Museum, CO
2015: Pastels by Invitation 2010, CAC, Chatham, MA
2014: 5 Equine Women Artists, Matrix Fine Art, Albuquerque, NM
2013: Park Fine Art Group Show, Albuquerque, NM
2013: PSNM National Show Small Works, Albuquerque, NM
2013: Celebracion del Arte, Hubbard Museum of the American West, Ruidoso Downs, NM
2013: Rachel Allen Fellowship: Monotype, Albuquerque, NM
2012: Pastels by Invitation 2012, CAC, Chatham, MA
2012: Gateway to Imagination, Farmington Museum, NM
2012: Biennale Grande, Hubbard Museum of the American West, Ruidoso Downs, NM
2012: Masterworks of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
2012: Crece Como Va, Fuller Lodge Art Center, Los Alamos, NM
2011: 2011 Rendezvous Art of the West Show, High Desert Museum, Bend, OR
2011: Pastels by Invitation 2011, CAC, Chatham, MA
2011: Kinesis, Fuller Lodge Art Center, Los Alamos, NM
2011: Pastel Society of New Mexico Signature Show, Millicent Rogers Museum, Taos, NM
2011: Masterworks of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
2010: Pastel Society of New Mexico National Juried Show, Albuquerque, NM
2010: Biennale Grande, Hubbard Museum of the American West, Ruidoso Downs, NM
2010: Pastels by Invitation 2010, CAC, Chatham, MA
2010: 64 Arts National Juried Exhibition, Monmouth, IL
2009: Pastel Society of New Mexico National Juried Show and Cover Artist, Albuquerque, NM
2009: 64 Arts National Juried Exhibition, Monmouth, IL
2009: Masterworks of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
2009: International Association of Pastel Societies: 12th Exhibition Web Show
2008: PSNM National Juried Show, Albuquerque, Anita Louise West/Ampersand Award
2008: Taos Center for the Arts Quick-Draw, Taos, NM
2008: Renaissance in Pastel-CPS, West Hartford Art League, CT
2008: “COWGIRL UP! Art from the Other Side of the West”, Desert Caballeros Western Museum, Wickenburg, AZ
2007: “COWGIRL UP! Art from the Other Side of the West”, Desert Caballeros Western Museum, Wickenburg, AZ
2006: “Ghost Ranch to Grand Haven”, Las Pinturas, Three Woman Show, Grand Haven, MI
2006: Best and the Brightest Annual Juried Show, Scottsdale Artist’s School, Scottsdale, AZ
2005: Scholarship Award, Workshop with Gil Dellinger PSA, Scottsdale Artist’s School, Scottsdale, AZ
2005: Pastel Society of New Mexico National Show, Albuquerque, The Artist’s Magazine Award
2005: “Between Heaven & Earth”, Amsterdam Whitney Gallery, Chelsea, NYC
2005: “Ranching and Rodeos”, The Phippen Museum, Prescott, AZ
International Exhibitions
2013: Park Fine Art 2013 International Tour Show/ BEIJING-HONK KONG-USA
2012: Park Fine Art 2012 International Tour Show /CHINA-KOREA-TURKEY-USA
2011: Biennale of Chianciano 2011, Museum Chianciano Terme, Italy
2013,2010,2002: By Invitation Only: Easter Show, Woburn, England
Juror: 2006: RGAA Encantata – non-glazed mediums
Artist in Residence: Avian Ambassadors – Flights of Education
Publications
2016: ARTIST’S & GRAPHIC DESIGNER’S MARKET, North Light Books
2014: HORSE AROUND NM, March Featured and Cover Artist
2013: PASTEL JOURNAL, February
2012: BEST OF AMERICA -Pastel Artists
2012: PASTEL PASSION: BIRDS, A monograph: Nance Mc Manus
A successful Kickstarter project reaching the goal in 22 hours.
2007, 2008: COWGIRL UP! Art from the Other Half of the West
2006: Featured Artist, THE ART ACQUISITOR, Chelsea, NYC
Teaching
2005-2013: PASTELS ARE PAINT NOT CHALK, University of New Mexico, Continuing Education, Albuquerque
2005-2014: PASTELS, The Orme School Arts Festival, AZ
2010, 2011: PASTEL CAMP, New Mexico Art League
Selected Corporate Collections
Norwest Bank, Santa Fe, NM
Paintings in Broadcast Productions
Hawaii Five-O
Selected Public Collections
The Orme School; Mayer, Arizona
Albuquerque Family Advocacy Center, Albuquerque, NM
Memberships
Connecticut Pastel Society, Signature Member
Pastel Society of New Mexico, Signature Member
Society of Animal Artists, Associate Member
New Mexico Horse Council, Life Member
American Quarter Horse Association, Life Member
Daughters of Hawaii, Life Member
Workshops Attended
2018: Colette Odya Smith, PSA
2017: Scholarship Award, TexArt in conjunction with the Society of Animal Artists,
Susan K. Black Foundation, Kerrville, TX
2012: New Grounds Print Shop, Monotypes, Regina Held
2012: Mary Sweet, Print Making
2011: Sara Eyestone, Artist Marketing and Licensing
2009: Anita Louise West
2007: Duane Wakeham, PSA
2006: Richard McKinley, PSA
2005: Doug Dawson, PSA
2005: Scholarship Award, Workshop with Gil Dellinger PSA, Scottsdale Artist’s School, Scottsdale
1999, 2000, 2001: Master class with William Herring, NM
2001: Scholarship Award, Workshop with Howard Post, Scottsdale Artist’s School, Scottsdale, AZ
2004,1996,1987: Summer term in Dordogne, France, with Monique Partridge, ARCA, London, England
1995: William Hook, Scottsdale Artist’s School
1995: Sam Savitt, Scottsdale Artist’s School
1992: Summer term of watercolor academia at Lorenzo di Medici School, Florence, Italy
1990-1991: Drawing at Central St. Martin’s School, London, England