The Artist’s Magazine – October 2019

ArtistsNetwork.com 87

KP: At what point could you tell you’d transitioned from a begin-
ner to an intermediate painter—and then from an intermediate
to an advanced painter? What has helped you grow?
NKM: I began painting as a child and enrolled in exten-
sion painting classes from the University of Illinois
while I was in high school. I went on to get a BFA from
that university as a figure painter
and began my masters in painting
at Eastern Illinois University soon
after, where I focused on foliage
painting. I also taught there for three
years. I suppose my intermediate
years were during university train-
ing and, once I’d finished that, the
advanced-painter years began.
I began a gallery and frame shop in
1979, while I was in college and, with
the help of my husband, have contin-
ued along that path all these years.
That business, now known as Art De
Triumph & Artful Framer Studios, in

Chicago, is still going strong. It’s supported by a wonderful

daily staff, which has allowed me to add travel-teaching to

my schedule. The teaching has helped me grow as a painter

as I work with eager students, and it allows me to see

inspiring new places for painting.

KP: What is one thing an artist could

start doing every day that would

improve his or her art in the next year?

NKM: Draw, draw, draw! Knowledge

of perspective is important, whether

you’re drawing structures, figures

orlandscapes.

Kelly Powers is an artist and an editor at

Creative Catalyst Productions.

Sun Tracks
pastel on mounted
board, 16x20

“I’VE FOUND THAT WORK DONE QUICKLY IS USUALLY MORE FRESH

AND INSPIRED THAN WORK THAT HAS BEEN LABORED OVER.”

—NANCIE KING MERTZ

GET THE

VIDEO

The video

workshop Nancie

King Mertz:

Urban Pastel

Painting, is

available through various online

sources, including Liliedahl

(lilipubsorders.com), Creative

Catalyst (ccpvideos.com) and

Amazon (amazon.com).

LEARN MORE ABOUT NANCIE KING

MERTZ ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM,

AND AT NANCIEKINGMERTZ.COM.