Nancy Alter
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Most of my art career I have worked as a painter predominantly in large abstract acrylics on canvas. Recently retired, I now have time to explore other forms of expression. I began studying print making with Merle Spandorfer while continuing work in acrylic painting. I found the collagraph to be an exciting process and very different from that of painting. First being inspired by the found objects to build the plate, creating the collage composition for the plate, applying the color, and then the print’s birth! I found that my paintings fed into my prints and then my prints allowed me to propel to a new level of painting. I continue to work in parallel.
Much of my work focuses on my road trips out west during which I was inspired by extended stays in our national parks. These works explore the earth’s astoundingly broad palette and ancient geological patterns. My recent work is dedicated to expressing these emerging and ever-changing colorful patterns in parallel works of acrylic on canvas and collagraph prints.
My most recent work, "Brain Storm", was inspired by my own brain MRI images. I was diagnosed with MS in 2006. These works explore the organic and clinical structure of MS and my responses to it. I created the acrylic on canvas pieces in parallel with the collagraphs and monotypes. The earlier works explore the forms and shapes one sees in x-rays and MRI’s. The later works encompass my emotional responses to these forms. Whether it be a work on canvas or on paper, I was principally concerned with action, texture, and space. I used the paint and the canvas surfaces to dictate my painting technique and chose materials in my collagraphs to emphasize those elements. In the monotypes I used a reductive method to handle those issues. Many respond to this work by relating the forms to birth, biological organisms, and even to landscapes. Those responses are legitimate and not in conflict with the works’ origin as I believe that in the many varieties of nature, form and shape repeat. So it is quite natural to respond to my work in this same way.
Following are more details about my background. I re-entered the art world in 2004 after a long and successful career in Information Technology. I received a BA in Art Education from Glassboro State College, now
Rowan
University
, in 1970 and taught art in the Cherry Hill School System for two years. From 1970 to 1976 I was a productive artist showing locally. Later I continued to work at developing my painting skills and techniques, albeit at a slower pace, while pursuing a career in the corporate world. Now retired, I’m working as a fulltime artist.
Recent exhibitions include the Philadlephia Free Library,
Cheltenham
Center for the Arts
, Philadelphia Sketch Club, Rosemont College, Beth Or Exhibtion Gallery, Ambre Studio Inc. and McGOPA (Montgomery County Guild of Professional Artists) Mixed Media.
I am a member of the American Color Print Society, Artist Equity and the Cheltenham Printmaking Guild.
Awards include an honorable mention at the ACPS Annual Membership Show2006, second prize at Ambre Studio in Bethlehem, PA for collected works in the Asian Esthetics Show 2007 and The Michael Lasuchin Memorial Award ACPS Membership Show 2008. Recently a collagraph print was accepted as part of the Philadelphia Free Library permanent collection.
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