NICE — “Dance & Movement by Nancy,” 89-year-old Nancy Shepard’s exhibit, just might put the small gallery, The Bazaar (located in Nice) on the map. It has the potential to bring artist Shepard into the limelight.
Her first ever exhibit has left Shepard almost speechless. “I really didn’t think anyone would like my drawings.”
When asked when she started drawing, Shepard said, “I was born an artist. People are born special. We are walking beautiful miracles. I wish we all knew that.”
Sitting in the gallery, dressed in a flowing purple gown, her white hair wrapped in a colorful scarf, her brown eyes sparkling, she seemed playful and a bit shy. She brought her entourage with her; her caregiver and several friends who endearingly call her grandma. Gallery owner Chuck Slocum, 75, has known Shepard for over 40 years. He met her through her second husband, his chiropractor. Slocum was the one who took Shepard’s drawings out of a basket by her drawing table and brought them into the light. An artist himself, Slocum said, “She’s my inspiration. I met her some 40 years ago. I had cleaned out my studio when I moved up here to Lake County from Duarte and had all these pens and I gave them to Nancy. I want to sing and dance when I see her art.”
Shepard was offered scholarships to San Francisco Academy of Fine Arts and California College of Arts and Crafts. While at CCAC, she met her first husband and ended up dropping out to follow along on his path. “That’s what a woman did back then,” she said, shaking her head. After that, she was busy with her four children. It wasn’t until after her children were grown and after she moved to Lake County from Monte Rio, 40 years ago, that Shepard began drawing in earnest.
Drawing with pens, mostly magic markers and highlight pens, “I find that pens are really fast, they dry fast.” She explained how her house is on the dark side and when she first brought a drawing into the light outside, “The chrome (a reflective property that goes beyond color) was so high. I was shocked. I’m so happy they make people happy.”
Shepard told how she doesn’t plan out a drawing. “There are funny things that come through me into the world. I’m just with them. It’s not like I’m in control.”
“She likes to draw skirts,” piped up Amber Scarioni, who came to The Bazaar with her partner Dave Mingo. Scarioni said, “She’s beautiful, kind, gentle, with the best sense of humor ever.”
Mingo also praised Shepard. “The first time I saw Nancy’s art, I fell in love with it. Her art is a reflection of her.” They have joined Shepard in her adopted-friends-family circle.
Feeling the love in the small gallery, it seemed like people who get to know the tiny, soft spoken woman hope to be brought into her inner circle. Slocum’s nickname for Shepard is Mother Earth. Paula Mann, who has been her caregiver for one-and-a-half years said, “She’s a joy. She wants to do everything on her own. She keeps going, even after breaking her hip several years ago.”
Shepard uses a lot of patterns in her drawings. “I don’t think it out, they just happen. They want to be. I don’t know how but they’re an entity on their own.”
As for her feelings on the exhibition, she said, “It’s like standing honest and naked before all your fellows.”
When asked what her favorite thing to do besides drawing, without missing a beat, Shepard smiled and said, “Make love…ooh…make love…in every way you can.” And then she laughed and added, “Of course I don’t any more.” The room erupted in laughter at such candidness coming from someone who is almost 90 years old.
Many of her figures are women. “I like the female figure. I like the way it glows.” Although she doesn’t only draw females. Slocum was quick to locate many drawings of men in the two albums of her work that he has at the gallery. A quick count of the drawings in albums and on the gallery walls added up to almost 300 pieces of art. “That doesn’t include the many others at her house,” laughed Slocum.
Slocum told of why he began The Bazaar gallery in Nice. “This venue is for artists who have no other way to show their work. Exhibits are expensive and this venue makes it financially possible.” The Bazaar is located across from Dollar General at 3534 Highway 20, with the red tile roof, the Red Roof Plaza.
For artists to contact Slocum, call 707-380-3634.
The “Dance & Movement by Nancy” exhibition opening is Saturday February 5, from 1 P.M. to 4 P.M.
