Nancy discovered painting rather late in life, taking classes in the evenings and on weekends at various venues in Oakland, California. She refined her technique under the instruction of David Hardy, schooled in the classical realist style, and Jerry Fresia, who taught her to paint the intricacies of light.

It took only a few years for her to realize that a hobby had become a passion. The evening and weekend classes had guided her into becoming a serious and accomplished painter. She knew at this point that it was time to pursue formal training. This brought her to one of the most prestigious art schools in Florence, the Angel Academy of Art. The Academy teaches drawing and painting in the old-masters tradition, with the curriculum and teaching techniques grounded in those of the 19th-century European academies.

On the development of her artistic style, Nancy explained, "As one of my relatives told me, it was just a matter of time before I experimented with painting. I have always been attracted to color and texture and have experimented with a variety of materials such as wood, cloth, metals etc. I have always been fascinated with the beauty and technique of realist painting, inspired by such masters as Vermeer, Velasquez, and Singer Sargent.

all images copyright 2008 nancy fernÁndez