NANCY ERICKSON DUTMER
Stevie Nicks~Crystal Vision,
fabric paint/bead embroidery
Nancy Erickson Dutmer’s theatrical and artistic upbringing heavily influenced her creative path through life. Most of her adulthood was spent singing, acting, directing and choreographing in the theatre, including a costuming and choreography stint in LA with Christopher Lloyd, John Goodman and Jane Leeves. While she maintained this career, she pursued a college education to become an art teacher. Nancy became discouraged with teaching before graduation, so she focused on becoming a visual artist.
With several awards and art studies under her belt, she and her family left her birthplace of Illinois, and moved to Wisconsin. The Northwoods inspired paintings of lakes, fish, birch, dogs, deer and bears.
Growing tired of the local theme, Nancy longed to create theatrically staged art. She now paints with oils or works with bead embroidery to create award winning Circus themes, nudes, portraits and animals, all with a decidedly vintage flair about them.
Opening: September 9, 3-5:30 p.m .
Exhibit Dates: September 2023
Entertainment is the backbone of my art. Each piece starts with random inspiration which leads me generally to vintage photos, where colorful characters, themes and costuming commingle from various eras into my compositions.
When painting, I prefer to work in oils, but the theatrics shine more through painted fabric and bead embroidered art pieces. I conceived this technique to emulate my past profession on stage in dazzling costumes. As I hand stitch each sequin and bead upon my subject, the embellished fabric takes on weight similar to a beaded gown.
Fabric paints on stretched fabric became the foundation of this artistry, for the ease of sewing every bauble on by hand. My most ambitious project to date is a series I call The 1960’s: Fashion and Fame. These are hand painted/bead embroidered portraits of female icons of the 60's era. My next series already begun is Damsels in Style: Fashion and Fame, which revolves around famous women throughout history who’s fashion represents their particular era, and who’s style was emulated by women of that era. I continue to waffle between oil painting and bead embroidery, as they both satisfy my artistic cravings in different ways, and they both feed into my desire for audience entertainment.
​
The Wicked Witch of the West,
fabric paint/bead embroidery
I Dream of Jeanie-1965
Flamingo Float Fizz,
oil on canvas