Bio

Nan Sidler has been interested in creating art since she was very young, when drawing and painting were among her favourite pastimes. Over the past several years, she has worked in acrylic, gouache, ink, oil, and pastel, but watercolour and graphite are currently her primary mediums. Her subject matter is infinite.

Nan views art as a means of capturing the beauty and fragility of the world around her. A strong environmentalist, Nan’s love of the outdoors, hiking, and canoeing is reflected in her landscapes, but she also seeks to capture the grace of a flower, a bird, or a single feather in finely rendered closeups.

“Inspiration for paintings comes from life around me- a cluster of dried leaves on the sidewalk is a still life in waiting, a child catching waves at the beach becomes my next portrait. Any subject is a possibility, as long as it evokes in me an emotion or mood that I want to convey to the viewer through my art.”

Nan has developed her painting skills by studying under various local artists, such as Ann Cossar, Neil Broadfoot, Sharon Taylor, and Richard Hayman. She developed her classical drawing techniques over a three year period under the tutelage of internationally known artist Pauline Bradshaw. She has received several awards from the Buckhorn Fine Art Festival, including two first prizes, and the Peoples’ Choice Award. One of Nan's drawings was recently selected by Northlight Books for publication in "Strokes of Genius 2.

Nan’s paintings can be found in private and corporate collections across Canada and the U.S. Several Peterborough area residents have purchased her donated works at local fundraising events for organizations including The United Way of Peterborough, Festival of Trees, Peterborough Hospice, The Art School of Peterborough and the Stephen Lewis Foundation. One of Nan’s watercolours hangs in the Peterborough Public Library as a memorial to past members of the Friends of the Library. A selection of Nan’s canoe prints and cards can be purchased at the Canadian Canoe Museum.

Nan works on location, and from her attic studio in the heart of Peterborough.