News

Give the Gift that Lasts a Lifetime

BubbleLife Staff — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 12:17:58 -0600

As we approach Christmas, parents around the world are preparing to make this Christmas the best Christmas ever. So much of the magic of Christmas is capturing the innocent awe in the faces of the children we love. This portrait, painted by Nancy Nickey Curran, captures the sweetness of her son who was 11-months-old when she painted him in his “Christmas outfit” -- it was his first Christmas. Not only does this portrait capture the innocent time in the lives of this family, but it is also a reminder of their history, and of other wonderful moments in their lives.

The photograph used for this painting was taken on the screened porch of the Curran’s 1932 home. The terra cotta pot behind the boy was a wedding present to Nancy and her husband. Special keepsakes that are memorable to the family are artistically “woven” into the visual story of the portrait.

One of Nancy’s greatest joys as a painter is to capture the fleeting details that are easily forgotten in a busy life. The details in her son’s frock and the Christmas toy are details that many may forget, but details Nancy says a mother never forgets.

While a photograph can capture the same details, so often photos eventually end up stashed away in a box or album. But a painted portrait hangs on a living room wall for years, and sometimes for generations to come -- a constant reminder of a loved one and a time long gone. A portrait of Nancy’s great grandfather whom she never met hangs in her parents’ living room. The details within the portrait bring him to life and help her know the man she loves but never had the opportunity to speak to.

Children grow up so fast. They are continually changing. What better way to remember these moments than with a portrait capturing every childhood detail, mischievous smile and sparkle in the eye?

This Christmas season give a gift that will never grow old. Toys and clothes are soon outgrown and forgotten, but a portrait is a meaningful gift that will be treasured for years. Portraits are an investment, preserving family history, and a gift that keeps on giving for generations to come.

Nancy Nickey Curran brilliantly captures every detail in her portraits, helping to keep memories alive.

NANCY NICKEY CURRAN
2398 KIRBY WOODS COVE
MEMPHIS TN 38119
901-517-0456

http://nancynickeycurran.com/

NANCY@NANCYNICKEYCURRAN.COM

Former University Park Mom Paints an Unforgettable Portrait

BubbleLife Staff — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 10:44:29 -0500

Nancy Nickey Curran has had a passion for art since childhood. For most of her life Curran has had a paint brush in hand. With an eye for art Curran studied under established artists all over the country giving her artistic skills depth and meaning.

“The more I learn about art the more I like it,” said Curran. “There is always so much more to learn.”

Curran’s real passion is portraiture, an artistic representation of a person, which was ignited once Curran became a mother. She works with a variety of mediums such as pastel, charcoal and oil when creating her one of a kind portraits.

One of Curran’s most recent photos is this portrait of a young girl named Sarah. Curran was able to recreate this image from several photos that were sent to her by the young girl’s family. All of her art is done by the photos her clients send to her.

“I never like to use one reference,” Curran explained. “Even though I might use one main look, I like lots of candids so I can see more personality.”

Curran sketches first with watercolors or pencils so the client can get a good idea of how the portrait will look when completed.

“It is especially important to give people [clients] a comfort level on the likeness of the image and portrait.”

Curran, who was a University Park resident, has several of her portraits throughout homes in the Park Cities. If you want to capture a moment in a customized painting contact Nancy Nickey Curran.

Nancy Nickey Curran
901-517-0456
nancynickeycurran.com
NANCY@NANCYNICKEYCURRAN.COM

To see more images click here to View Currans gallery.

Pastel Portraiture : The Elements of Art

nancy702 — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 10:20:29 -0500

What are the elements of Art?

Line
Shape
Form
Space
Textrue
Value
Color

These elements are mixed with design and composition to form a work of art. Not all works of art contain each element. Sculpture obviously has form and space.

Line is important to depict shapes and subject matter although there are no lines in nature. Texture is the feel of a painting heavy with impasto, grit, sand and can be merely implied with shading and other tricks of the trade such as Trompe L'Oeil.

Value describes the relative lightness or darkness of an object or shadow. In landscape the sky is usually lighter than the grass. The grass or ground plane is usually the next lightest value with the uprights such as trees being the darkest.

Why are these elements important? Without elements we would have no art. The elements help us to converse and communicate our feelings towards a piece of art. They give us a common ground to discuss art.

Just as someone discussing a sports event would be able to converse knowledgeably about the sport using vocabulary unique to that sport. Knowing the elements or art will help you with writing a paper on a piece of art, conversing at an art show or gallery. These elements will help you learn more about fine art.

Contact us today for your own piece of commissioned art. Charcoal or pastel portraits of your loved one will be an investment you will treasure forever!

by Nancy Nickey Curran

485 South Street Suite 106
Collierville, TN 38018

http://nancynickeycurran.com
901.517.0456

Insure Your Art Work

nancy702 — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 19:50:19 -0500

Pastel Portraits, oil portraits and any other valuable artwork should be insured. Many homeowners’ policies do not cover damaged or stolen art work. You would be surprised at how many people as well as museums do not have their art insured.

The Isabella Stewart Gardner museum in Boston lost approximately $300 million dollars worth of art by the likes of Degas, Rembrandt and Monet. The crime happened in 1990 and has never been solved. The museum had no insurance.

Some art is irreplaceable but it should still be insured. An insurance payout would enable you to purchase more art, purchase a better security system and at least give you something of value for what you lost.

Consult with your insurance company about your individual needs. Many times an entire collection or household art contents are insured for one sum. Theft insurance often covers "incidents' and not necessarily works of art unless each piece was specified on the policy.

Photograph and document your collection. Save receipts, appraisals and any other information about your art.

How much would it cost for you to replace a custom commissioned dog portrait or child's portrait painted 15 years ago? Update your records!

Theft insurance usually costs $1 to $2 annually for each $1000 worth of insurance. Substantial homeowners’ discounts are given if you have a good security system in place. Often the discount offsets the monthly cost completely.

You have invested a lot into your art and antiques and should keep the investment protected. There are companies that specialize in coverage of art and antiques. Buy as much insurance as you can comfortably afford--some compensation is better than none.

Nancy Nickey Curran

485 South Street Suite 106
Collierville, TN 38018

http://nancynickeycurran.com
901.517.0456

Custom Dog Portraits

nancy702 — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 15:27:52 -0500

Commissioned Custom Dog Portraits: Man's best friend is indeed the dog!

They love us unconditionally, play with us, celebrate with us and stick with us through thick and thin. The recent movie Marley and Me comes to mind when thinking about the hijinks a dog adds to your everyday life.The benefits of these furry friends to their people is proven and documented again and again.

Land mines kill 20 people a day in the middle East. The mines are deployed for $3.00 each and it costs $9,000.00 US dollars to send a dog to sniff out and retrieve these killers. The victims are often innocent children.

Afghanistan is now learning from our soldiers how to train their own dogs for this task. These dogs are more accurate then machines. They know the difference between scrap metal and explosives.

Dogs alert families when a child's blood sugar falls to dangerous levels during the night and the family is asleep. The monitors don't always pick up the signal but dogs, usually labs or golden retrievers, are reliable and consistent. They are trained to smell for the sweet smelling breath of a child who is in danger.

Dogs help with depression. When caring for a dependent living creature your attentions are diverted from sad thoughts. Since art soothes the soul and our dogs are part of the family--do not leave them out when adorning your walls with portraiture.

What could be better than a custom commissioned dog portrait?

PS: We love cats too!

Nancy Nickey Curran

485 South Street Suite 106
Collierville, TN 38018

http://nancynickeycurran.com
901.517.0456

What is art?

nancy702 — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 23:44:28 -0500

Art- What is the point?

Painting is the grandchild of nature. It is related to God. ... Choose only one master - Nature. (Rembrandt)

Some of our earliest examples of art are the chalk drawings in the cave dwellings of ancient man. They communicated by painting their surroundings.

What would our lives be like without art?

Most everything we come in contact with was designed by an artist. The music we listen to, our furniture, clothes, houses, and even food product labels were created from an initial conception.

Imagine soft drinks with no brightly colored labels and flour with no familiar logo? Companies like FedEx and Coca-Cola spend millions to not only develop but fiercely protect their 'brand".

Art is powerful and meaningful and enriches our lives.

A single painting can be sold for millions of dollars and it usually increases in value.

Arts Magnet Schools are incredibly effective at graduating children that didn't succeed in their neighborhood schools.

Art provokes thought, inspires, delights, and challenges us.

Celebrate and explore art--you'll be glad you did!

Visit galleries and museums
Become a museum docent
Volunteer at a local school and teach children about art history
Encourage art education in your schools
Share your passion of art with your children or grandchildren
Write a letter to the editor of your local paper
Encourage public art in your communities
Sit on a board of directors or become a committee member with some organization which has involvement in the arts
Become involved in your local arts and crafts show
Read about art
Attend an artist’s open studio night
Host an artist’s exhibit in your home
Surround yourself with art
Purchase art that has meaning to you
Create art and share it with others
attend a play or musical event

Fine Art Portraiture Nancy Nickey Curran

The Portrait Process

nancy702 — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 21:56:29 -0500

What are the procedures for creating a fine art portrait?

Things to be discussed when considering a portrait commission are:

Size
Location--indoors or out
Clothing
Formality
where the portrait will hang
Vision
Mood
Color palette

The initial stages of the portrait procedure include obtaining good resource material through sketches and photographs.