Meet Nanci Hersh | Professional Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nanci Hersh and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nanci, why did you pursue a creative career?
I’ve always loved art and making things. Both of my grandmothers were creative, one taking art classes in painting and sculpture and the other owning and running a women’s millinery business with fabulous women’s hats. She also taught me how to crochet and bought me my first sewing machine.

It was not until High School, however, that I ever considered Art as a career. One of the art teachers stopped me in the hall one day and asked me if I was planning on taking his Art Major class my senior year. I’m not sure if that had been on my radar, but it “felt” like the perfect thing to do. I marched down to the guidance office, dropped everything I could and my schedule was filled with Art Major I, II, and ceramics. I became president of the after-school art club and applied–and was accepted into Pratt Institute in Brooklyn for the following year.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
As a mixed-media contemporary artist, I create dynamic abstract drawings, paintings, and sculptures to deepen our connection to the world around us. Drawing inspiration from daily life, I chronicle both the significant and the mundane, marking time and holding space for reflection, while celebrating beauty of the unexpected and grace found in uncertainty.

Working with a variety of materials, I explore themes of home, family, the natural world, and the intricate webs that bind us together. Layering expressive lines, fragmented patterns, and diverse textures, I combine traditional methods like paint, pastel, and collage with unexpected processes and materials, such as vegetable papyrus (handmade paper made with onions), found objects, and repurposed materials (I have an awesome collection of nets!) to reflect on stories and experiences.

While this work is deeply personal, my goal is to collaborate with others through community engagement projects and private commissions, bringing authentic joy and meaning to our shared experiences.

Whether I am working with teen moms, cancer survivors, incarcerated youth, or curating an international art project such as “Chapel of Tears” my objective remains the same. I aim to listen deeply to their stories and explore ways to offer a platform that expresses who they are through a shared experience or work of art.

With Ellen McVicker (a resident of Aurora, CO), I illustrated and co-created the children’s book “Butterfly Kisses and Wishes on Wings: When someone you love has cancer… a hopeful, helpful book for kids.” The book has sold over 15,000 copies and is a resource and comfort to children and their families around the world. In 2015, we were invited to participate in the Art+798 festival in Beijing, China.

When I reflect on my journey from art student to professional artist what I’m most proud of is my devotion to my practice and my passion for community engagement. I’ve always followed my heart, taken risks personally and professionally, embraced change (even through tears), and sought ways to connect with different communities. Like everyone else on this planet, I’ve faced numerous challenges, several daunting, even terrifying. I’ve been a long time “seeker” taking my first meditation course at 16, a student of yoga for over 35 years, journaling and practicing gratitude daily. My art is an expression of who I am. I find beauty and joy in the creative process while continuing to learn to embrace the challenges of making something out of an idea, experience, or impulse. Even when it feels hard.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’ve been fortunate to have had several inspiring generous inspiring teachers and mentors throughout my career. Teachers and professors such as the late Mr. Ron Michnowicz, my high school art teacher first encouraged me to apply myself to the arts. While a student at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, in addition to inspiring, supportive professors such as Clare Romano, James Grashow, and Joseph A. Smith, I was a studio assistant for Ed McGown, and later his wife, Claudia DeMonte. Working for Ed and Claudia was a great lesson in the life of an artist as an entrepreneur as well as a creative. Managing studio time with gallerists and collectors offered a window into the world of being a professional artist. In graduate school, I also had wonderful teachers and mentors such as Allyn Bromley who was always available to her students while overseeing University of Hawai’i at Manoa Printmaking Department and developing her own innovative contemporary printmaking.

Perhaps, the biggest mentor is my life has been the Hawai’i based artist and entrepreneur Pegge Hopper.

I managed Pegge’s gallery in Honolulu for 11 years. Pegge’s dedication to her work and namesake Pegge Hopper Gallery was a tremendous example of managing a dedicated painting schedule with the business of running a gallery all while being a mother and supporting her family.

Pegge generously supported her community and social issues close to her heart, Her impeccable sense of design and detail is always a voice in my head. She has always been incredibly supportive of my career as an employer and most importantly, long-time friend.

Website: https://www.nancihersh.com/

Instagram: @nancihersh

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nanci-hersh-artist/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NanciHersh.Artist?ref=hl

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@NanciHersh

Image Credits
Photo credits:
Natale Caccamo (photos of large paintings)
Dan Jackson (Nanci in front of Portraits from the Zoom Room)
Andy Vible (Nanci with long vertical scrolls in gallery)
Flavia Loreto (close up of hexigon pieces on wall)
Avery Burnham (photo of Nanci for profile in front koi painting)
Nanci Hersh (photo of 3 paintings in office space)