Nancy was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago, IL. At the encouragement of a family friend, after high school Nancy attended
The American Academy of Art in Chicago where she studied still life, portraiture, and the human figure.
She spent many off-hours in the Art Institute of Chicago, studying the works of the French Impressionists,
John Singer Sargent, and many of the Dutch masters. She later attended Northern Illinois University, earning a
Bachelor's of Science Degree.
Nancy finally achieved her goal of being a fulltime painter in 2007 after studying under Matt Smith, Ralph Oberg, Dan Young,
and Scott Mattlin. In the last few years, Nancy has returned to focus on the figure and portrait painting she loved in art
school. She is very drawn to integrating the human form with outdoor locations and beautiful, warm lighting.
Nancy's work has been accepted into Salon International (2007), Oil Painters of America National Exhibition (2006),
Arts for the Parks, and many other national and regional juried shows. Her work hangs in collections across the US
and Canada. She is a member of Oil Painters of America and Plein Air Artists Colorado. She lives near Denver, Colorado
with her husband, Tom McKeen.
Her work is featured in the book 100 Ways to Paint Your Favorite Subject, by the editors of International Artist magazine.
