We recently connected with Nancy Eckels and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Nancy , thanks for joining us today. Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?

My parents met in an oil painting class taught by a fairly well known illustrator in the 1940s. While my Dad later pursued his career as a chemical engineer, my mother continued to paint into her late eighties. My mother’s brothers and sisters were also artists, so I was introduced at a young age and continued to be exposed to art the entire time I was growing up and well into my adult years. I have dabbled in art off and on my entire life, but spent 25 years working in television before I left to pursue a full time career in art. In my Mom and Dad, I had a couple of enthusiastic supporters of my work for nearly all of my life.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Having left a previous career and going full time with my painting at a more mature age than some of my artist friends, I figured that I needed to get on a fast track where I could quickly expose my work to many people. Toward that end, I roamed around the country for twenty years doing art fairs and festivals and getting a national following. That came to an end a couple years ago when I decided to stay home and make more art. My work is now for sale on several online galleries and on my own website.

One of the main reasons I transitioned from my previous career into full-time painting was a need to produce something that i could call my own, with no input from others, and art gave me that chance. I have often pondered the meaning of the phrase, “original art”. Any piece of art that is one of a kind and created by hand is considered “original”, but to me, making a piece of abstract art is even more original. A painter can recreate a landscape or seascape, and do it with amazing feeling and a one-of-a-kind approach. But creating something that previously existed only in the mind of an artist, is, I truly feel, even more original. I love creating something that no one has ever seen before with shapes and color combinations that evolve from trial and error on the canvas combined with a continuing loop of ideas from my head.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is that I will always be an artist. I will always have an outlet for my creative energies. There is no retirement in my future, and no one can force me to retire. Art is something that cannot be taken away as long as I can hold a brush.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

It would be helpful if artists and creatives of all kinds were viewed as professionals who are making a living at what they do. Instead artists are constantly being asked to give their art for free in return for the idea that “people might see their work”, or “just think of the publicity you could get if you hang your work in my store”. These same people should be paying artists for the use of their work rather than trying to get it for free. Most artists can tell you that they have been asked countless times to donate their work to a charity event. Charity donations are fine, but maybe one a year instead of several. How many regular business people would donate the dollar equivalent of several days or even several weeks worth of work several times a year? But somehow the attitude is that it’s just a piece of art.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.NancyEckels.com
• Instagram: @NancyEckels
• Facebook: Nancy Eckels Abstracts
• Linkedin: Nancy Eckels
• Youtube: Nancy Eckels Paintings