Nell has studied art with various master painters and has taken many art classes, studying at the University of Victoria, Langara College, Millsaps College, the University of Hong Kong, and the Hong Kong School of Arts, receiving various certificates. She has shown and sold her art in galleries and venues in Jackson, Mississippi and in Huizhou and Hong Kong where she worked as an art teacher. She also taught Buddhism at Elder college in Tsawwassen, BC. Presently Nell lives and learns in Langford, BC where she enjoys doing Plein air work with great groups of people, and does does life drawing with inspirational artists and models in Metchosin.
StatementI’m a Langford-based artist who loves plein air painting on this beautiful part of the planet. Painting is a meditative experience for me; being out in nature makes this even more so. It’s also satisfying being a part of plein air groups such as the alfrescos, the Westshore Artists, and the Langford Painters.
I enjoy doing figurative work; there is a drop-in life drawing group in Metchosin for twice weekly practice. Our two cats also provide opportunity for painting and drawing.
Therefore, I mostly work from life, trying to render the essence of the contemplated form to go beyond it into formlessness, a path of letting go. This is the reason I am attracted to abstract artworks. I have been more focused on abstraction in my work recently.
Until I retired, I was an art teacher in Hong Kong. During this time I studied Buddhist art and received a Master’s degree from HKU. The stillness inherent in this kind of art influences my own work.
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