Local artist Nancy Christy-Moore gave a demonstration on the use of alcohol ink to the Palo Verde Artists club at its recent monthly gathering.

Christy-Moore describes her technique as “creating chaos and bringing order to it” through the use of intuitive painting and drawing upon her subconscious for imagery, rather than planning what she is going to paint.

“I’m always surprised by the images that evolve using this adventurous process. This process allows me to feel the paintings coming through me, as if I were a conduit or spiritual medium. What fun!” she states.

Horses and blooms are favorite subjects. Christy-Moore loves horses and painting them makes her very happy. The blooms allow her to use colors and combinations and since color and movement are her favorite ways of expressing herself. These two subjects allow that to happen.

Christy-Moore has been making art all her life. Her mother was a fashion illustrator who encouraged her by setting up still-lifes for her to paint, allowing her to use her own watercolors. She attended Columbia Christian College in Missouri, followed by the American Academy of Art in Chicago and Art Center School in Los Angeles, with commercial art as the focus of her studies. Following her education, she married and started a family, putting her art career aspirations on hold.

As she approached the age of 40, she came to the realization that she had been working to make the dreams of others come true while her dream of creating and teaching art had been ignored. She made the decision to change her life and to pursue painting as a fine artist. She has never regretted that decision.

Christy-Moore began teaching and exhibiting her art in the area of southern California, where she was living at the time. As she relocated to Kansas and then to Arizona, she continued to exhibit her work in galleries, museums and art centers, taught adult education classes for both junior colleges and art centers and conducted workshops for art groups. She has had more than 20 solo exhibits, including two in Japan, and has won many honors and awards over the past 40-plus years of her painting career.

Her advice to beginning or aspiring artists is, “If you love it, do it! Find classes that teach what you want and practice, practice, practice! (which is easy if you really love it).”

Christy-Moore offers workshops and demonstrations and welcomes and encourages visits to her art studio in Surprise. She can be reached at 623-487-4031, nancy@nchristy.com or visit nchristy.com.