Nancy Standlee is a “daily painter”. Both teacher and student, she loves watercolor, acrylics, and collages, any art project really. When people ask her if she will ever settle down into just one area of artwork, this Arlington artist answers “probably not, there’s so much to learn.”

Her most recent passion over the last few years has been “Art Journaling” — the practice of recording something special from each day in a few lines, then adding a sketch or painting, or even adding ephemera — paper items like ticket stubs originally meant to be discarded after use but have since become collectibles. One of her lastest collages features a longhorn blended with a map of south Texas, the sheet music of “Tumbling Tubleweeds”, as well as the pages of some children’s story books about cows.

For this native Texan, each new project is like the first day of a journey, bringing surprise and joy from the “detours” of endless amounts of information on new methods and techniques. Nancy’s paintings capture a moment in time during her life experiences at home in Texas or in travel. Her daily inspirations might be Parker County peaches, or a gecko in the bathtub. The journey in Art Journaling is the reward with each new friend and each new travel destination, for which she has incredible enthusiasm.

“There is a constant race against time, some risks, and so much to learn in the search for the beauty and joy in paints, water, paper and canvas,” Nancy believes. “All that I see and experience has the potential for a painting or a journal entry.”

Coming up in November, Nancy will be teaching a class on “Art Journaling” at Arlington’s Upstairs Gallery. You can find out more details on her blog. Works from previous Art Journaling classes and retreats can be seen on her blog.

Nancy loves “jumping around” on her painting styles, she says, because she likes to experiment. Her art is a means of self-expression that is constantly evolving and taking a new direction. She tends to use intuitive colors and is comfortable with representational and non-objective subjects. Nancy says, “I don’t strive for a photographic reproduction of an image as I feel like a camera can do a better job. Art has an emotional dimension and I’d like to leave something for the viewer’s imagination.”

Since retiring from being an elementary school librarian in 2000, Nancy has been able to put more and more time into her art. With degrees and certifications from Texas Woman’s University and University of North Texas, Nancy is an active member in the Arlington Visual Arts Association, the Society of Watercolor Artists of Fort Worth, and the International Society of Experimental Artists, among other groups.

Nancy’s work can be seen at local shows and galleries such as F6 and Upstairs Gallery, as well as on her website and her blog. There, she also features other artists and talks about various workshops and seminars that she attends. Nancy is a founding member of the Canvas by Canvas collaborative art group of Arlington, TX. In this group, each artist paints a gallery-wrapped canvas which is then assembled and framed into a finished piece of fine art.

“Painting has enriched my life and creative spirit. I enjoy the process because it’s fun, energizing, challenging, and it provides a beautiful and pleasing journey of new places and new friends.”

To learn more about Nancy Standlee, visit her websites and blog:
http://nancystandlee.blogspot.com
http://canvasbycanvas.com
http://nancystandlee.com

This post, highlighting an Arlington woman, is part of a series commemorating Women’s Equality Day.