Nancy's website: www.fineartbynancyhilgert.com

Born in Washington, DC and raised in Northern Virginia at the edge of horse country, Nancy reflects that she felt in some ways like a fish out of water in an upscale suburb so near the hubbub of our nation’s capitol.  But, for a little girl in love with the outdoors, animals, riding and drawing, it was in another way fertile ground for how she believes she’s made.

“I don’t remember when I started drawing; I only remember always doing it.  And it didn’t matter if it was a pencil, a crayon or a stick in the mud, anything was fine with me,” she laughs.  Earning a BFA double major in Drawing and Studio Art from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Nancy studied watercolor, figure drawing, sculpture, cinematography, several forms of print making and mixed media, enjoying them all, but loving graphite, intaglio and lithography most.

Two themes dominant in Nancy’s current work are The Smokies Series and Ocean Things.  The artist loves to travel and hike to photograph nature and historic architecture, as well as collect objects for the subject matter of her work.  The Northern California and Oregon coasts are where the Ocean Things series was born.  Renderings of pebbles of polished lava rock and other found sea objects have been developing rapidly since 2009. Both series have evolved from mixed graphite on a variety of papers to layering graphite with colored and charcoal pencils on tinted pastel paper.  “I love subtle color with graphite, some of it applied and some coming from the paper itself.”  Nancy uses anywhere from seven to ten different weights of lead layered with other drawing media to bring simple things to vibrant life.  From lava pebbles to sand dollars, log, iron and stone, these images resonate with photo realism.

Founder of Women Artists of Middle Tennessee, Nancy is also a juried member of the National Association of Women Artists, Inc., NY, the Arts Council of  Williamson County,  Xanadu Studio of Scottsdale, Arizona and a juried artist with the Tennessee Artisans Market at The Renaissance Center in Dickson, Tennessee.  This award winning artist loves life with her Giant Schnauzer “Bart”, working in her home studio on commissions and her own inspirations for galleries, collectors and competitions.

I love the many ranges and forms of graphite.  All the weights of lead, charcoal pencils, colored and metallic pencils, have their own signature; when layered and worked together, the result has significant depth and expression.  I may use as many as 20 different drawing tools in a single piece.  Skillfully applied, you don’t so much see the medium as you see the subject celebrated and alive.  Using papers of different textures and hue adds another dimension to the result of how pencils respond.

I feel passion for every subject I draw; it’s inherent beauty is my inspiration, fueled by the medium.  Each subject has something profound to say on it’s own, with an inner life I work to reveal.  My goal is not entirely to be photographic, however.  I see each piece as an interpretation of the subject’s natural and “actual” beauty.

I love detail, the tiny components of light, line and value, every small aspect  important to the sum of the greater image.  Even working as much as 70 hours with a magnifying glass on a single 16” x 20” piece, time flies for me.

Currently, the technique of combining the hues of pastel paper with layered graphite and colored pencils in a composition is very exciting.  Subtle color amplifies the drama of graphite.  My process is fed by the sanctuary of my studio.  Keeping as many favorite papers, drawing media and even frames on hand as I can, I listen to music during all my drawing; assorted instrumental and classical recordings especially for composition and color palette development.