Nancy Giffey Artist Statement:
Being a woman is often a complicated balancing act, so many of my mixed media pieces and some of my paintings make use of circus images as metaphors. I do not fare well with “virtual” realities or purely conceptual explorations. I enjoy working with both hands using materials that have specific properties.
I am grateful to live in beautiful rural Wisconsin where I am able to find inspiration in what remains of our complex and amazing natural world. I rely on solitude and intuition when making art. I hope that my work tells stories about mystery and transformation and that I learn something from each piece that I create.
The mixed media art that I create has been inspired by the natural environment, journeys of the heart, daydreams, and “inner space.” All of the collages are made with papers that I have dyed, painted or printed by hand. Sculptures include wood, found objects, and modeling materials adapted in a variety of ways for each piece of art. After being sanded and primed with artists Gesso, the sculptures have been painted with artist’s acrylic paints. Working with both hands through a number of stages in the process of creating this art has been a pleasure that allows for meditative and introspective experiences as the work unfolds with unexpected surprises along the way.
