Nancy Hedges
In “Mountains, Valleys, & Girls”

Nancy Hedges, a retired road contractor, was born in Columbus, Ohio, grew up in Bluefield, WV then moved around frequently. She returned to Bluefield over 20 years ago then and four years ago, settled in Blacksburg, VA. Nancy says she ”was sometimes awed, often inspired by the beautiful landscapes that surrounded her, not realizing then that I would be able to capture some of the beauty of those days, on my canvas. At the time, I didn’t know how, and if I had known how, I didn’t have time as I had a job, a trailer, and was busy rearing four children. I still carry images of those mountains in my brain, and have been fortunate to live my later life in Ellett Valley surrounded by the beautiful mountains of Virginia”.

"Sunday Morning" Watercolor

She has no formal training in art, but has attended one or two workshops a year for the past 20 years, and has studied with some of the top watercolorists and oil painters in the U.S. In addition she studies her extensive collection of art books and also learns through her membership in the Blacksburg Regional Art Association, Virginia Watercolor Society, Southern Watercolor Society, and American Watercolor Society.

Nancy has seen her lifelong interest in painting come alive in the past few years. Following her big success with "The Little Duck" (published in a teacher's magazine) at age six, her brush lay dormant for years as she grew up, raised her four children, and traveled extensively. Over the past 25 years, she has devoted more and more attention to her passion for painting. She says, “I have always wanted to paint pleasing pictures and I am blessed to be able to put pretty colors on my paper or canvas and hopefully have someone who connects with what I’ve done. It is an honor to think that someone would place a piece of your art in their home or workplace”. Obviously people have connected as her work is displayed extensively in homes and business throughout the Virginias, Carolinas, and Texas. She has exhibited in solo shows most recently at Bonomo’s Blacksburg,VA; Shenandoah Club Roanoke, VA; Montgomery County Hospital., Blacksburg, VA; Bent Mountain Gallery, Christiansburg, VA; and the Montgomery Co. Library. Nancy has also exhibited in group shows, such as the Virginia Watercolor Society, Virginia Highlands Festival, and the Arts Depot. In addition, she has gallery affiliations with the Brainerd Gallery in Bluefield, WV and ERL in Winston, NC.

Photo of the Artist

The show at the Arts Depot will feature a variety of subjects: Moody landscapes capturing familiar colors in Virginia, colorful cityscapes-places you have been or plan to go to, women of the 50’s-when hats and gloves were the rage, fanciful fruits & vegetables caught by brush in still life, and abstracts for the discerning eye. These paintings are exemplary of how Nancy continues to fuel her passion for painting by “having an affair with different papers, surfaces, textures, wonderful colors, juicy washes, brushes, and the feel of the beginning of a painting. the accidents that may take you in a different direction than you had planned. Also, I have a lot of images in my head that I would like to put into my paintings. There are always all the things about drawing and painting that are still to be learned. It is never ending.”

"Boat" Watercolor