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

Alright, Nanette thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

As a child I was drawn to anything creative, drawing, painting, and making things.…anything creative.

As I grew older, I knew I wanted to pursue art professionally. I thought it would be wonderful to spend my time doing what I love and making a living at that. Even if it was a more commercial route, a career in the arts appealed to me.

I planned to attend Rutgers’ Mason Gross School of the Arts. My parents, who’d always supported my love for art, suggested I go to Rutgers College to become “a well-rounded person.” I agreed, and ended up majoring in communications and minoring in art.

After graduation, I accepted a job as the executive director of a medical society. I always wanted to grow and learn as an artist so during this time, I took classes at the School of Visual Arts and continued to draw and paint for pleasure. Although I loved my job, I realized that I still wanted to forge a life in art. I went into a book store one day with my portfolio and was hired to illustrate the cover of a book. As I was painting this cover, I realized that I have much to learn if I wanted to do this professionally.

I went back to the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan where I was fortunate to meet John Frederick Murray, who taught me about the great figurative artists and their techniques. I wanted to hone my skills and give myself the best chance of succeeding in art. I wanted to follow my dream without regret; not just to have potential to be a great artist; I wanted to be one.

Nanette, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’ve been working as a professional artist for over 25 years and enjoy painting portrait commissions, as well as creating personal work for my collectors and myself. I also enjoy sharing my knowledge of traditional realism through teaching.

My work has been featured in several museum exhibitions including the European Museum of Modern Art (MEAM) in Barcelona, the Butler Institute of American Art, and the Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art.

A high point of my career was having three of my works selected for a historic presentation of American painting, Contemporary American Realism, which toured six national museums in cities across China. I was able to represent the United States on this trip and looked out my hotel window and saw my work on the Beijing World Art Museum’s Jumbotron. Additionally, I was honored that the Museum selected my paintings “Lizzy” and “Shadia” to sell as posters in conjunction with the exhibit.

My most recent highlight and one I’m especially thrilled over is having several of my works of art selected for a trip to the Moon. My art will be part of the Lunar Codex that will be rocketed to the Lunar South Pole as part of the NASA Viper rover and Astrobotic Griffin mission in 2023. Having digital reproductions of several of my artworks being placed in a time capsule that’s landing on the Moon is a bit surreal to me.

I’ve always been drawn to people and human emotions, so painting portraits was a natural choice for me. I also love painting portraits because at times it combines the best of all aspects of painting, including landscapes and still life with the additional challenge of capturing a faithful likeness of my subject. In addition to achieving a compelling likeness, it is equally important for me to express my subjects’ personality onto the canvas. In the early 90s I entered my first art competition and won the award of excellence. I also received my first portrait commission which was the start of my professional art business.

I love observing and conversing with people; I am fascinated by their stories and am inspired by their beauty — the way color and light illuminate the forms on their faces. Beautiful art, especially that of the old masters, is always an inspiration. Beauty is everywhere and it cultivates my creativity.

I am grateful to be able to tell someone’s story that will be part of their legacy for future generations. It is a joy to create a timeless work of art that captures an individual’s true essence. I’ve been told that the love, respect and admiration I feel for other people comes through in my work. It is very satisfying when collectors tell me I’ve given them their greatest gift, and when others connect with my art and find joy.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Last year I created a very personal work, “A Lotus Grows in the Mud”, based on a metaphor that has soothed me through difficult times. The lotus, one of the most beautiful flowers that represents inner peace and enlightenment, grows in the mud, yet doesn’t allow the mud to attach to it. Instead it lets it roll off as it reaches to the light, rises and blooms above the water, unscathed.

This perspective has comforted me. It enabled me to look through a new lens at things I found disturbing and difficult to understand. Hating what hurts us, or covering it up, damages us more. Truly seeing what hurts us allows us to let it go, and then bloom. The only way out is to illuminate and rise above and through our pain. I have strived to be like the lotus and truly let “the mud” roll off and not get inside. I have emerged stronger in doing so.

This painting is a departure from most of my commissioned work and is very personal for me. I worked through much pain, and found inner wisdom in creating it.

“A Lotus Grows in the Mud”, was born out of my personal journey and it was especially meaningful to have it selected as the winner of Manhattan Arts International “HerStory” 2022. The competition was based on originality, innovation, and technical skill — art that has a significant impact on the viewer, inspires contemplation, insight, and transforms us.

I wasn’t sure that I wanted to share it publicly as I felt very vulnerable. I did and I can’t begin to tell you the overwhelming response I received to this painting. I was moved by the feedback from all the people who found inspiration and comfort in the metaphor of the lotus, as I have. If my art can empower or inspire another to let go of the things that hurt them and weigh them down and see that they are stronger than they know, I am grateful.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being creative?

Being an artist enables me to see subtlety and beauty in the world, to capture and portray my vision, to have an idea and bring it to life. I am grateful to be able to tell someone’s story that will be part of their legacy for future generations. It is a joy to create a timeless work of art that captures an individual’s true essence. I feel fortunate that I am able to follow my passion and do what I love.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.nanettefluhr.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nanette_fluhr/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nanettefluhrfineartportraits/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nanette-fluhr-4328648a/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/NanetteFluhr
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0i8alc7M_hByel2IaqdLSg
• Other: https://www.artsy.net/artist/nanette-fluhr