Nanci Charpentier | Artist Statement
I make art of the things I know and love - vignettes that grab my attention in nature such as flowers, trees, or bark. Along with my sketchbook and watercolors, I carry a camera with me when I travel so that when the moment strikes and I find a beautiful cluster of flowers or colors that excite me, I am able to hold on to that moment so that I can later paint it on the canvas. I have been lucky enough to experience this in places such as the Canadian Rockies and as close to home as right outside my back door.
While watercolors allow me to capture colors of nature on site, photography allows me the opportunity to manipulate the composition of my work. I play with the composition while photographing a scene or later, on the computer.
My initial inspiration to paint came from the artwork of Georgia O’Keefe. She is the first artist I took notice of as a child. I was drawn to her macro floral paintings and perhaps this is part of why I continue to choose nature as my muse.
I continue to be inspired by artists that employ a great deal of color and natural light in their work.