May at Arts on Douglas April 12 2023
VISUAL POEMS
Drawings by Nancy Baur Dillen
May 6 - June 10, 2023
Opening Reception: Saturday, May 6, 4-7 PM
Artist Talk: Friday, June 9, 11 AM
Image: Nancy Baur Dillen, Mite Bee, Staedler Mars Lumigraph pencils on Arches Platine paper, 22.5 x 30 inches
About the Exhibition:
Nancy Baur Dillen is known for her realistic yet whimsical paintings and drawings that combine imagined elements with those from life to create unexpected new worlds populated by fruits, vegetables, animals, and other characters of her own design.
For Dillen’s alt_space exhibition, she presents a new series of intriguing black-and-white drawings of imaginary life forms created from many different points of reference. Using Stadler Mars Lumograph pencils on paper, Dillen’s drawings are rich with texture, sharp details, and deep black tones that provide strong contrast. The realistic quality of her drawings compares to the Naturalism movement of the late 19th Century, yet her creations are not of this world.
The subjects of Dillen’s drawings are both familiar and foreign, and there is, even more, to discover upon close observation, such as haunting faces and obscure objects hidden in each piece. She elaborates, “For me, art should have surprises and be a feast for the eyes. My goal is for others to discover the joy of really looking at art. Above my easel, I have posted a sign that says, ‘Do the unexpected!’” Through this body of work, Nancy Baur Dillen has done just that. Each piece is a visual poem, composed of forms and shapes instead of words, taking viewers on a journey into the depths of her imagination.
About the Artist
Nancy Baur Dillen is an artist, educator, and art consultant residing in Melbourne, FL. She received her MA and BS degrees from Florida State University. She is Art Professor Emerita from Eastern Florida State College. While there for 35 years, she coordinated the Art Department’s programs and taught classes ranging from Drawing, Figure Drawing, 2-D Design, 3-D Design, Painting, Acrylics, Watercolor, Advanced Painting, Art History 1 and 2, Contemporary Art, and the Business of Art. Now retired, she is a full-time artist. Her paintings and drawings are in public and private collections throughout the United States. Recently, her work was featured in NAWA Now, the National Association for Women Artists’ Magazine. She is a member of the Florida Artists Group and the National Association of Women Artists.
