Horse Artist Interview – Nancy J. Bailey

Name
Nancy J. Bailey

Website & Places you can find my work online
Website: www.nancyjbailey.com
Blog: nancyjbailey.blogspot.com
Etsy: Cliffy’s Mom
Imagekind: Foxbrush
Cafepress: Wondermutt
Clifford’s Blog: Clifford of Drummond Island
Follow Nancy on twitter: @cliffysmom

Where I am
Michigan

Tell us a little about you, what is your background & where do you come from?
I’m from the rocky coastline of Michigan’s Eastern Upper Peninsula. I didn’t have horses growing up, but always wanted one. I would sit in my room for hours and draw horses and write hundreds of pages of stories.

Who are your main influences?
Although he is not specifically an equine artist, Robert Bateman is my hero, and I actually got to meet him once.

Do you (or did you) have an animal that is the muse behind your work?
HA HA! You get three guesses who that is! 🙂 That rascal, that rapscallion, that incorrigible trickster, Clifford the Morgan, who has been the only long term “man” in my life for 16 years.

Do you have any secret rituals you do to help you get in the zone for your art?
I put one foot in a pan of Lake Huron water, the other in some Drummond Island alvar, and sing “The Shores of Gitchee Gumee” while bowing three times to the north.

Just kidding!

I guess the thing that gets me in the zone is walking in the woods. That is possibly my favorite way to find peace and get in touch with my inner self.

Is there a particular place that brings you inspiration?
Drummond Island, Michigan.

What effect do you think the Internet will have on art in general?
The Internet is a great marketing tool, and it has terrific potential to bring attention to artists who have few resources for publicity otherwise.

On the other hand, because now so much is instantly accessible, there is a saturation level that might make it difficult for one to stand out. Computer graphics already have made an impact in the animation world, but I think there will always be a place for traditional art.

Has it had an effect on yours?
So far, it has only been beneficial for me. I have sold art all over the world, and that may never have been possible otherwise.

Which one is your personal favorite piece?
My favorite is usually the one I am working on at present – or at least, it should be. If it isn’t, then the quality isn’t up to snuff.

There is a Percheron in pastel that I really like; it’s about 12 x 18” on black charcoal paper.

Would you ever sell it?
My cat threw up on it. I think I am stuck with it now.

What else are you passionate about?
I am an amateur behaviorist. I am a clicker trainer and love working with dogs and horses.

I like theatre and being on stage. I love to write. Comedy is my specialty.

I seem to gravitate toward anything that has to do with telling a story, be it writing plays, books, or acting or getting animals to act.

Working on anything new?
Always! I just published a book about my equine art, called, “The Horses Who Inspired Me.”

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Thanks for looking!

More to Come

Thanks to Nancy for answering the interview and sharing her art. Be sure to subscribe to her art blog for updates about her latest works.

Also stay tuned for more interviews with horse artists and photographers.

Are you a horse artist or do you know an equine artist you’d like to see featured? Add your name and website in the comments below or drop me a note to get involved.