Nancy Halbert

"Boredom is foreign to Halbert's paintings-variation, not repetition, is her rule in dealing with the figure. Several of her finest subjects achieve an independent complexity in their rugged, hearty dignity."
Victoria Donohoe, Philadelphia Inquirer, 4/22/11

I was a choreographer and modern dancer. It is the balance between energy and stillness that I focus on in my art. I reflect this discord in a gestural, painterly, and contemporary style. I paint motion to evoke emotion. Responding to each moment with spontaneity, I use a variety of media to create a raw, yet, luminous painting process of drawing into paint. I explore mixing drawing and paint medium on unprimed canvas. Fabrics and images may be integrated to provide a sense of place.

I begin as I would when choreographing a dance, one element moving into the next. A line begins, takes shape into mass, which will deepen with color, and then culminates into an expressionistic, impressionistic experience.


Nancy E. F. Halbert, a former dancer, choreographer, has a Masters in Art Education from the University of the Arts with a prior MFA in Dance from Temple University. Nancy was a fellowship participant of Vermont Studio Center's April, 2013. She is was a featured a...

She has a Masters in Art Education from the University of the Arts with a prior MFA in Dance and Choreography from Temple University. Nancy was a fellowship participant of Vermont Studio Center, Johnson Vt., April, 2013.
She has painted in Abiqui, New Mexico, Bangor Maine, San Miguel, Mexico, Clark Summit, Pennsylvania.

Nancy was a featured artist in Studio Visit Magazine, 2013. She will be showing in NYC Art Expo, 14. Her contemporary paintings have been juried into shows: Woodmere Art Museum Contemporary Art Show, 2009, 2012, Philadelphia; Betsy Meyer Memorial Show, Haverford, PA, Hospital of University of PA and The James Oliver Gallery. She is an affiliate member of the artist cooperative MUSE Gallery in Philadelphia and a Professional Member of the Main Line Art Center, Haverford, PA.

Her paintings are in collections in Australia and the US. A video of her process may be seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRJTu7YWy