About the Artist

Nancy Andresen is a wildlife, animal and landscape painter who lives and works in the Rocky Mountains close to Vail, Colorado.  A Colorado native, she has a reverence for nature and playing outdoors.  Her activities include kayaking, skiing, hiking, and horseback riding, which inspire her choice of subjects. 

Growing up in the mountains, Nancy has a close connection to wildlife and their environment. Her desire to capture the dynamic emotions of the animals she paints invites viewers on an imaginary journey exploring the many visual layers connecting them to a kindred spirit.

Nancy originally did many sketches of her pets and other animals on paper, eventually transferring to oils by using a traditional layering affect. She builds depth by applying thin layers of paint on top of each other. Nancy also uses a glazing technique, a transparent paint layer which has roughly the same effect as placing a colored sheet of glass over a picture. The picture doesn’t change, but the colors do.

She loves it when she can paint their eyes, and let the viewer see into their heart and soul.

The artist is a member of the International Guild of Realism, IGOR, a prominent organization dedicated to promoting excellence in realism.  Her painting of a lion, “Barnum”, was accepted into the Masterworks International Guild of Realism Museum Tour, 2015-2016, produced by David J. Wagner, L.L.C.  An exhibition of 65 artists whose works were representative of the finest of its members, locally and internationally.

A pet lover, with several of her own, she loves to paint personalized portraits by commission.  She captures the distinct physical details and the unique personality of a furry loved one - a timeless memory of one's beloved pet.  Backgrounds are creatively designed to fit the owner's and pet’s favorite surroundings.  

"My life as an artist is inspired by animals, both wild and domestic.  I have a deep desire to capture their individual characteristics, personality, and demeanor.  The eyes are especially important. If the viewer can look into their eyes and feel the animal's depth and bond with them, I have succeeded in portraying their soul and spirit"  

"Art is about life, passion, and a labor of love. "