Biography & Awards

Biography and Awards
"Painting is like dancing, it requires timing and rhythm" according to artist, Nancy R. Thomas. Having always had a love for art, Thomas began taking classes in the early 1970's at the Torpedo Factory in Alexandria, Virginia and the Corcoran School of Art in Washington, D. C. However, after a few years, art was temporarily pushed to the back burner in order to follow another dream, that of becoming a dancer. Thomas spent much of her time and energy on a career in Middle Eastern Dance which afforded her the opportunity to travel to many parts of the world including the Middle East and to perform in many clubs and embassies in the Washington, D.C. area as well as Canada, England and Greece.
In the early 1980's while performing at the once renowned Astor Restaurant in Washington, Thomas chanced to meet two professional artists, Alan Gramley, a local Washington painter and Robert Chapman, a New York artist who was a personal assistant to Willem De Kooning. Through this association, Thomas began to paint again. She painted diligently with Gramley who taught her to paint in the old master technique of oil painting with transparent glazes. She also had the opportunity to meet and visit the studios of both Wellem and Elaine De Kooning, a thrill never to be forgotten.
While still performing nights, Thomas attended school by day and earned an Associates Degree in Fine Art, graduating Summa Cum Laude in 1990 from Northern Virginia Community College. While in school, a "Project Study Tour" of Italy prompted Thomas to take up Watercolor as a more portable form of Painting. The next fifteen years were devoted exclusively to this medium. Thomas studied watercolor with Virginia artist, Judy Wengrovitz and upon moving to the Eastern Shore of Maryland in 1994, Thomas continued studying watercolor with local artist Jean Ranney Smith.
After a twenty six year career in dance, Thomas retired in 2001. Her painting has come full circle and oil painting "en plein air" is her passion now. Thomas also enjoys the art of Mono Clay Printing which she studied with Mitch Lyons, the creator of the method. Her works reflect her love of dance, travel and local scenery.

Biography and Awards "Painting is like dancing, it requires timing and rhythm" according to artist, Nancy R. Thomas. Having always had a love for art, Thomas began taking classes in the early 1970's at the Torpedo Factory in Alexandria, Virginia and the Corcoran School of Art in Washington, D. C. However, after a few years, art was temporarily pushed to the back burner in order to follow another dream, that of becoming a dancer. Thomas spent much of her time and energy on a career in Middle Eastern Dance which afforded her the opportunity to travel to many parts of the world including the Middle East and to perform in many clubs and embassies in the Washington, D.C. area as well as Canada, England and Greece. In the early 1980's while performing at the once renowned Astor Restaurant in Washington, Thomas chanced to meet two professional artists, Alan Gramley, a local Washington painter and Robert Chapman, a New York artist who was a personal assistant to Willem De Kooning. Through this association, Thomas began to paint again. She painted diligently with Gramley who taught her to paint in the old master technique of oil painting with transparent glazes. She also had the opportunity to meet and visit the studios of both Wellem and Elaine De Kooning, a thrill never to be forgotten. While still performing nights, Thomas attended school by day and earned an Associates Degree in Fine Art, graduating Summa Cum Laude in 1990 from Northern Virginia Community College. While in school, a "Project Study Tour" of Italy prompted Thomas to take up Watercolor as a more portable form of Painting. The next fifteen years were devoted exclusively to this medium. Thomas studied watercolor with Virginia artist, Judy Wengrovitz and upon moving to the Eastern Shore of Maryland in 1994, Thomas continued studying watercolor with local artist Jean Ranney Smith. After a twenty six year career in dance, Thomas retired in 2001. Her painting has come full circle and oil painting "en plein air" is her passion now. Thomas also enjoys the art of Mono Clay Printing which she studied with Mitch Lyons, the creator of the method. Her works reflect her love of dance, travel and local scenery.

Thomas is a juried member of the following organizations: The Washington Watercolor Association The Baltimore Watercolor Society The Working Artist Forum, Easton, MD Recent Awards Include: Best in Show, Kent Island Federation of Art, 2000,2006 Best of Eastern Shore, Chestertown Art League annual juried show 2005 1st Place in Graphics, Chestertown Art League, 2004, 2005 Chesapeake College 2004 1st Place in Oils, Kent Island Federation of Art 2006 2nd Place in Oils Kent Island Federation of Art 2003 2nd Place in Watercolor, Kent Island Federation of Art 2002 3rd Place in Oils, Chesapeake College 2004 3rd Place in Graphics, Chesapeake Collge 2004 Honerable Mention, Kent Island Federation of Art 2000, 2006 Honerable Mention, Chestertown Art League, 2000, 2001, 2006