Nancy Cloonan
Art gives me the power to
speak boldly without words
Instagram: @nancyecloonan17
Plymouth, MA
Acrylic/mixed media on wood or paper
I’m interested in presence: How things accumulate, linger, and insist on existing. My painting practice is grounded in shape, line, and color. The paintings grow from what I gather while walking each day—an ongoing inventory of everyday encounters that quietly demand notice. Walking charges me, and most of the forms that stay with me come from the ground—dropped objects, shadows, puddles, and surfaces altered by time and weather. There is a subtle absurdity in these moments; ordinary, unplanned, and precise.
I photograph, remember, and carry these observations into the studio, where they are distilled into intuitive forms through paint. My process is layered and repetitive, built through multiple passes of marks, lines, transparency, and opacity. Much is covered, but nothing is erased. Seen or buried, every mark matters.
My process takes time and continues even when I’m not painting; I am inseparably connected to the work I make.
I make intuitive abstract paintings from my experience of daily walking
What’s the story behind your work?
The story of my work is an ongoing and involuntary dedication to observation. Mostly unrecognizable to the viewer, I am often painting a response to the amazingly ordinary things I witness.
What do you hope people will feel when they see it?
I hope that people who see my paintings will feel the joy I receive from making them.
How does your work create community or bring people together?
My work is connected to community in a subtle way through my intuitive observations that land upon my painting surfaces.
Who helped you along the way?
I have received help from countless “teachers”, most every person, animal, or beautiful place I encounter is a part of my art making.
How do you give back/support others?
I give back by smiling, listening, making, mentoring, and being present.
