Gallery Opening Featuring works by Nancy Pierson

The Gallery at Equinox Village is excited to feature works by Nancy Pierson. A Gallery Opening with the artist, live music performed by a Mark LaChac, appetizers and refreshments will be held Friday, September 18 from 5 – 6 p.m. The Gallery Opening is free and open to the public. The exhibit will remain on display until November 2. The Gallery is open 7 days a week from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and is free to visit.

Nancy Pierson: “Struggling artist” has never been my M.O. I have gratefully enjoyed a happy, healthy 98 years, married to a wonderful man, raising five lovely daughters, and sharing our lives with eight or nine dogs along the way.

My artistic journey began with classes taught by Margaret Yard Tyler, a well-known pastel portrait artist in Montclair, New Jersey. Portraits of children were fashionable at the time, but I couldn’t afford to have my daughters painted, so I decided to learn how to do it myself. Before long, friends began asking me to paint their children, and my hobby developed into a portrait business.

Wanting to learn more, I began traveling into New York City twice a week to study at the renowned Art Students League. The beautiful old building, with its wonderful smells of turpentine and oil and its rich history, held a special magic for me. I learned from accomplished artists, worked with professional models, and spent many happy hours drawing and painting.

I eventually purchased a small studio apartment on the Upper East Side—much to my husband’s initial concern. Years later, he was heard to ask, “Why didn’t you buy a two bedroom?” It became both a wonderful creative retreat and a good investment.

After several years of drawing, I decided to develop a more marketable skill and managed to gain admission to the Fashion Institute of Technology, despite being considerably older than its typical student. Two years later, I had several jobs in fashion illustration.

Eventually, I happily settled into painting simply because I loved it. I painted people I found endlessly fascinating, places I loved and wanted to “be in,” and objects, flowers, and plants that captured my attention through their shapes, colors, and reflections. Painting brought a sense of wonder, excitement, and purpose to my life.

I am especially grateful to one of my grandmothers, a dairy farmer’s wife, mother of five, church organist, and newspaper writer. Though she had little opportunity to pursue artistic interests, she left us one beautiful still life—a lasting reminder of her own talent and an inspiration to me.

Another important part of my life has been volunteering. My most rewarding experience was tutoring at a Christian drug and alcohol rehabilitation center for men. I helped residents improve their reading and writing skills, supported several in earning their GEDs, organized art days and trips to New York City, and helped produce an annual Christmas pageant. The men created remarkable and deeply personal artwork, and I was fortunate enough to paint portraits of several of them. Some still proudly display those portraits in their homes.

Being a wife and mother to Amy, Kaki, Jennifer, Sally, and Phoebe has been my greatest role in life. But painting has given me another extraordinary gift: a lifelong opportunity to observe, create, connect, and find beauty in the world around me.