Nancy Richards West

Nancy Richards West has been painting professionally since 1971, with a focus on depicting the quiet beauty of wildlife and nature. She is Resident Artist for Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, and was chosen to represent Virginia at the White House Easter Festivities in 1996.

Painting in oils with a multi-layered glazing technique results in work suggestive of watercolor paintings. In the paintings of egrets and herons for which she is particularly noted, Nancy strives for tranquility and softness through skilled use of color and composition. Training in classical drawing techniques and advanced color theory gives her work an underlying strength, while her delicate treatment of the medium imparts a gentle elegance.

Drawing from the human figure has also been a passion of Nancy’s for over 30 years, and she has taken her figure drawings to an exciting, new level. Nancy works from life. A special energy occurs when an artist draws directly from the subject. Using a muted color pastel paper, pencil and white pastel, she focuses on capturing the light as it bathes the model. Each of these figure drawings holds a little bit of magic, which the viewer is sure to feel.


The most recent direction that Nancy’s work has taken is into the exciting world of plein air painting. She takes her easel onto location and quickly paints the landscape before the lighting (and colors) can change. This form of painting was made popular by the French Impressionists, and it holds as much allure today as it did over a hundred years ago.

In addition to exhibiting and selling her work in her Chincoteague studio and nearby gallery, Island Arts, Nancy participates in numerous prestigious wildlife and fine arts festivals throughout the East Coast. Her current show schedule is posted on her website (www.nancywest.com).