By permission of the artist, The Cyber Art Show is pleased to feature the second of two 12-piece exhibitions of works by contemporary American landscape painter Nancie King Mertz (born 1952 in Illinois, USA).
 

Nancie King Mertz was born and raised in Central Illinois, where she began painting and selling her work in her early teens. She received a BFA in Painting from the University of Illinois, where she was a James Scholar, and also where she met her husband, Ron.  They settled in Central Illinois and Nancie pursued a Masters Program in Painting at Eastern Illinois University where she taught for 3 years. While in graduate school, Nancie began a gallery/framing company which she has continued to operate after re-locating to Chicago in 1987. Her husband joined her in the business in 2000. Their gallery/frame shop features Nancie’s originals, Ron publishes Giclée prints and cards of her work, and Nancie and her staff run a thriving framing and conservation service.  

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Nancie’s oils and pastels are Impressionistic in style, with 60% of her work created en Plein air.  She paints approximately 100 pieces annually and has traveled to over 20 countries for inspiration to paint on-site.  Urban & rural subjects capture her attention when traveling in the States, and she can often be found painting in the varied neighborhoods of Chicago.  She offers destination workshops and local demos, and serves as a juror for shows in the Midwest.

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Professional Affiliations

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• Pastel Society of America-Master Signature Member

• Chicago Pastel Society-Master Signature Member

• Int’l Assoc. of Pastel Societies-Master Circle Member

• Palette & Chisel Academy of Fine Arts, Chicago

• Salmagundi Club, NYC 

• Oil Painters of America

• Degas Pastel Society, New Orleans

• Indiana Plein Air Painters Assoc.

• Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce

• LakeView East Chamber of Commerce

• Philanthropic Council Advocate IL Masonic Medical Center

 

Awards

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• PSA:  5th Place 2015, Bill Creevy Award 2014, 2013 award

• CPP:  Best in Show, 1st Place, and various awards

• IAPS: Award of Merit 2015, 2014

• Palette & Chisel: Diamond Medal and various awards since 1988

• Pastel Journal, various awards, Feb. 2015 cover, and articles

• The Artist Magazine, various awards

• Plein Air Easton! awards 2010 and 2015

• OPA: 5th Place 

• Degas Pastel:  Honorable Mention 2015, Great American Award 2014, 

• IPAPA: Award of Merit 2015, Honorable Mention 2014

• Boldbrush Finalist

• Distinguished Graduate Alum 2012 Eastern IL University

• Inaugural Class 2013 Hall of Fame Inductee Arcola High School

• LP CofC:Business Person of the Year 2008, Small Business of the Year 2000

• Network of Women Entrepreneurs Woman of the Year Award 2000

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Selected Exhibitions
 

• Pastel Journal Feb 2015 cover Artist and 11 pg. feature story

• PSA Pastelagram 2015 feature story in bi-annual publication

• FL Forgotten Coast 10-day Invitational Plein Air Paint-Out, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012 

• MD Plein Air Easton! 2015, 2010

• PSA Enduring Brilliance Show 

• Florida's Forgotten Coast Invitational 10-Day Paint Out

• Boston, Voss Gallery, IAPS show

• NYC, Nat'l Arts Club, PSA's "Enduring Brilliance" awards

• MD, Plein Air--Easton!  Utrecht Award of Excellence "Best Use of Light"

• 2nd Place Chicago Pastel Painters

• "Best of Show" Richeson 75 Small Works Show - Kimberly, WI

• Univ. of IL Alumni Center, Jan-July '08

• "Medical Arts as Fine Art" Rosalind Franklin University Traveling Show

• studio b, Three Oaks, MI

• Gallery Wright, VT

• Greenhouse Gallery's Masters, TX

• "Best of Show" Award, Nat'l Pastel Painters show hosted by Chicago Pastel Painters

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