“It seems ages since I moved back home to New Mexico after living almost 10 years in Europe. I still hear the voices of not only the living artists but also the historical masters of art that I studied with in England, France, and, especially, Italy.

The biggest change for me has been winning a scholarship from the Scottsdale Artist’s School to study with Howard Post .I ended up rushing headlong into a passion with pastels. The freedom I have whilst working in pastels keeps me enthusiastic about painting all the time.

In recent years I have taken courses with master pastelists Doug Dawson and Richard McKinley, landscape painter Gil Dillinger, equine artist Sam Savitt, and fundamental anatomy for sculpture with retired orthopedic surgeon Dr. Wilfred Stedman. My nudes are included on Ruth Block's "Painting the Figure in Watercolor" videos. Leo Neufeld has continued to keep me focused on the gestural and line quality of any painting. My good friend and mentor Bill Herring helps me keep my aesthetic river within its creative banks.

In 2009 a book of my pastel paintings of birds: “Avian Ambassadors Pastelled” is planned to be published. I am continually challenged by the images of birds, their colour, and motion. Birds are built form for function and it makes them compositionally exquisite.

2008 is my second year to be invited back as one of the 50 women artists to participate in COWGIRL UP! at the Desert Caballeros Western Museum in Wickenburg, AZ.

I hope to continue my work in pastel painting as well as teaching pastels and materials. Color and composition keep me studying more and developing better paintings. I remember back in university wandering around trying to “find” something to paint. Now there are just not enough hours in the day to paint it all.

www.nancemcmanus.blogspot.com

www.DailyPaintersNewMexico.com

ES POSIBLE – Scottsdale CEDAR STREET GALLERY – Honolulu

ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE - Avian Ambassadors - Flights of Education

CONNECTICUT PASTEL SOCIETY - Signature Member

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