We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Nancy Panganiban. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Nancy below.

Hi Nancy, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

 I have been drawing for as long as I can remember. It was a mechanism to release some of my emotions, both positive and negative, although I did not recognize that at the time. I focused mainly on animals as I had and have a love and interest in all species. I used books from the old “How to Draw [Horses, etc.]” series which broke down everything into geometric parts.

Throughout my K-12 education, I chose art classes for all my electives. I was fortunate to grow up in a city with great schools which offered many art options. My parents did not have much money and had five children, but they managed to provide us with extracurricular arts education including ballet and private violin lessons, allowing us to participate in the local Youth Symphony. I believe the music lessons broadened the capacity to think artistically in general.

I loved going to college, perhaps a bit too much, because I was unfocused and chose many classes purely because of their interest to me. Of course I focused on art in a variety of media, but I also was very interested in science, particularly geography and then paleontology. My paleontology professor had us look at fossils and draw them in very accurate detail, with the idea that we would then be able to identify them. I was surprised to discover that this practice enhanced my drawing skill almost better than the drawing lessons from the art department.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I grew up in Madison, WI and moved to a couple other cities before settling in Boise, ID. After spending much of my adult life working a nine to five job and coming home to paint in the evenings, I was able to retire early in 2017. Since then I have focused on painting full time, joining local arts organizations and participating in open studios, group shows, and themed exhibitions. Eventually, I had two solo shows, one consisting of 40 paintings at a large local gallery. I was thrilled to sell many paintings which also led to more work afterwards from people who had seen my shows. Most recently, I have been thankful to be able to show my work at the newly opened Poetic Tiger Gallery here in Boise. They have a variety of themed shows which correspond to my interests in many ways.

I’m primarily a painter and produce artwork that focuses on the natural world and its inhabitants, as well as our connection or disconnection to it. I sometimes include some of the dark aspects of existence but also use a bit of humor. I draw from a wide range of species, but often embellish them in various ways. I also use invented or mythical animals. The end result is sometimes somewhat surreal or psychedelic.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Cities can help artists by promoting local arts events and providing ways to show work. At one point, the city of Boise offered Artist in Residence space utilizing vacant offices downtown. Local artists could occupy the space for a month and allow the public to visit them. It would be great for property owners and the city to partner and resurrect this. They could also provide public spaces for artists to show their work, particularly during the monthly “First Thursday” event where galleries and other art venues stay open into the evening. Currently, the city purchases a limited number of pieces to be shown at City Halll, but it would be nice to have rotating shows that did not necessarily require the city to purchase the work. Also, it would be beneficial if the city and state arts departments promoted local exhibits on social media to a greater extent.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I grew up in a culture that discouraged self-promotion or calling attention to oneself as it was considered immodest. So my initial tendency was to avoid showing my artwork to people unless it was required, such as in a classroom environment. It’s taken me a long time to actively market my work, and I feel that I’m still not especially good at it because it doesn’t automatically cross my mind after I finish a piece. It’s something I must diligently remind myself to do, but it has been beneficial and led to interest and purchases of my work.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @NTPanganiban