Meet Nancy Ann Sampson
Occupation: Artist/Mom/Teacher
Kids: Jordan Hamilton and daughter, Angelia
Seward Resident for 15 years
Seward Art Festival is October 1 – 3
Hours of participating venues may vary (visit website)
www.sewardarts.org
How did you become an artist? Can you recall a particular art project that set the art wheels in motion?
The very first ‘paper’ I wrote as a young elementary student spoke of wanting to be an artist and to draw pictures of people who come to visit. I guess this initial vision, and my love for Dr. Suess’ Come Over to My House, grew into a lifelong quest for travel, cultural exchange, and exploring one another’s talents.
I was about twelve when I started shooting film as sort of an inner dialog. It was 1973, and not everyone was a ‘photographer’ like today. Nor was technology so ‘instant’. All the while I dabbled in drawing, fiber and some sculpture. In high school, I had a very influential art teacher whom I still stay in touch with.
My love for country roads and ‘scrap art’ blossomed through family road trips and my first official photography course in college. After a classmate and I stumbled upon a quaint, home-spun hobby farm, we were given a gracious invitation to explore. This exploration became the seed whose fruition grew into my continuing search of windows and doorways as metaphor. Later that same day, we discovered the county dump, revealing, what I deemed to be, a hidden treasure of rusted metal; So rose, the first of many pieces to follow, involving not only the re-use of materials, but in many cases the raw materials themselves dictating or inspiring the impetus for the entire process of a piece.
Nancy’s piece: “Ancient Ways”
What do you like about being an artist in the Seward neighborhood?
In Seward, there is a strong sense or footprint of being surrounded and embraced by artists of all kinds. Collectively, we are a resource to be cherished. In turn, as artists, we should be nourished and not just sustained or maintained by our community. Seward has been, and should always be, a fertile neighborhood where artists can truly flourish.
Tell us about your involvement in the Seward Art Festival (SAF). What do you plan to feature this year?
I’ve been involved in the Seward Arts Festival since 2003. For several years I had an open studio at home. The energy and tremendous effort were well worth it. I’ve always piped the SAF like no other ‘crawl’ in the Twin Cities; it means being invited directly into artists’ homes. And thankfully, SAF is finally a whole 3 day event!
This October, I will feature an array of multi-media works: Images from Cuba, Ethiopia and abroad; metalworks; greeting cards and magnets; and my funky tush-cush bike seat covers. Hopefully, Jordan’s paintings will be shown at the Vine Arts Center (VAC) as well!
“Blue Wall”, photograph by Nancy
How has your art and act of creating influenced your family?
Maybe art really is edible, because I feel like I’ve been feeding my kids art from the moment of their conception. I also believe that art is the highest form of universal language. We create out of intention -the process, a meditation unfolding into a visual existence. Not only have my kids been able to travel abroad and immerse themselves in diverse cultures and artforms, they’ve also had the good fortune of (1) Angelia attending FAIR (Fine Arts Interdisciplinary Resource) for four years and apprenticing with a local copper artist this summer, and (2) Jordan working as a mentor at Hope Community, beginning in 2006, and continuing to help create and facilitate both artist and youth driven community murals.
Copper spiral necklace and earring set by Nancy’s daughter, Angelia
“Complete” by Nancy’s son, Jordan Hamilton
Are there any family art projects that you and your kids would recommend others to try?
Even though I do part-time art teaching, Jordan and Angelia would be the first to encourage young artists to sketch daily. Hopefully, there are many parents out there that second the notion of their kids just…….exuberate creativity!
Check our the photos of the art car/scrapmobile Jordan and I did for Artstart at the Lyndale Lake Art Car Parade one year. Collaboration/Cooperation is where it’s at! Youth of today’s generation get it. Corporatism and capitalism are the only barriers in the way of ensuring a peaceful, flourishing future for our children.
What is your next artistic endeavor or “dream project”?
Just the other night I dreamt of a whole show I organized titled: Flowering of Mind/Healing of Heart – a group exhibition of women artists, each featuring a large-scale multi-media self-portrait piece.
See Nancy’s artwork at the Vine Arts Center
(VAC) during the Seward Art Festival
2637 27th Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55406
www.vineartscenter.org
Seward Festival Hours at the VAC are:
Friday 10/1, 5-9 pm.
Saturday 10/2, 10-6 pm
Sunday 10/3 12 -4 pm
“Gandhi” by Nancy Sampson
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