Artist's Statement

nancy

Since 2000, I've been painting people - young and old, happy and angry, candid and posed. Artist Ed Hinkley describes my portraits as informal, expressive and intimate. My work has evolved over the years but these core qualities remain the same. I continue to be captivated by facial expressions, by body language, and by the challenge of capturing emotion and personality on a two-dimensional surface.

In addition to working in my studio, I teach art several days a week to suburban retirees and urban middle schoolers. Their vastly different life experiences and collective wisdom inspire me to approach my art in innovative, proactive and socially-conscious ways. As a result, I have pursued more public art in the last few years, challenging a wider, national audience to see beyond the portraits, to confront a social message on issues such as the environment and literacy.

Bio

A Chicago based artist, illustrator and art instructor, Nancy Pochis Bank started out her professional career in business, receiving a BA from the University of Michigan and an MBA from the University of Chicago. After twelve years in management consulting, Nancy changed direction, enrolled in the Continuing Education Program at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and studied with artist Ed Hinkley.

Nancy's studio is located in the heart of the Ravenswood Industrial Corridor. She completes 10-12 commissions per year, teaches weekly Elder Art classes and is an active arts advocate, participating in local exhibitions and volunteering her time and skills to benefit her community and raise awareness for a range of social issues.

Selected Exhibitions

2008 - 2009 "Cool Globes: Hot Ideas for a Cool Planet," Large Globe Exhibit in San Francisco's Crissy Field, San Diego's Balboa Park, and Los Angeles's Exposition Park.

2008 "Chicago Looks: Portraits of Chicago," Small Mural Exhibit on permanent display in Chicago's Riverfront Walkway, between Michigan Avenue and Welles Street. Chicago, IL.

2008 "Art Therapy Connection's Chalk Festival," Oz Park, Chicago, IL. Selected as the 2008 Featured Artist.

2007 "Cool Globes: Hot Ideas for a Cool Planet", Mini-Globe Exhibit at the United Nations Atrium in New York and Sears Tower Lobby in Chicago. Designed and created four 12" themed mini-globes for endorsement by Mayor Daley, (then) Senators Obama and Clinton, and Oprah Winfrey. Globes were auctioned to raise funds for Chicago's environmental after-school programs.

2007 "Cool Globes: Hot Ideas for a Cool Planet," a national, traveling exhibition. Large Globe Exhibit on Chicago's Lakefront. Chicago, IL

2007 "Square Foot Show," The Galaxie, Chicago, IL

2007 "Art Therapy Connection's Chalk Festival," Oz Park, Chicago, IL

2006 "Transformations," Noyes Cultural Center, Evanston, IL

2006 "Art and Judaica," Chicago Sinai Congregation, Chicago, IL

2003-06 Annual Ravenswood Art Walk, Chicago

2000-06 Annual Waterworks Show, Curated by Ed Hinkley, August House Gallery, Chicago, IL

2002 "Pensive Women," solo exhibition, Café Avanti, Chicago, IL

2001 "Portraits of Legendary Rock Stars," solo exhibition, That Salon, Chicago, IL

Career Highlights

Public Art Commissions and Awards

2009 Selected by TBS (Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., division of Time Warner) to create "Very Funny" street chalk art around Chicago to promote their "Just for Laughs" comedy festival.

2009 Selected by the Art Therapy Connection as the first Guest Artist to work with artistically gifted seventh and eight graders. Designed and piloted an 8-week self-portrait curriculum culminating in an exhibit of student work at the National Teaching Academy.

2008 Commissioned by the City of Chicago to create a mural of Chicago writers entitled "Literary Chicago".

2008 Selected by Southwest Airlines to design and create a large globe depicting the benefits of employee environmental volunteerism called "Community Care". The globe has traveled throughout California along with 50 other globes.

2007 Sponsored by Goldman Sachs to design and create a large globe depicting the importance of helping children bond with nature entitled "Nature Nurture: Raising Future Environmentalists". The globe was exhibited as part of Cool Globes' Chicago Lakefront exhibit and auctioned to raise funds for Chicago's environmental after-school programs.

Publicity

122 'Cool Globes' latest hot idea for summer in the city, Written by Andrew Hermann, Chicago Sun-Times, Friday, April 30, 2007.

Cool Globes, Hot Ideas for a Cooler Planet, Written by Wendy Abrams, Cool Globes founder. Nancy Pochis Bank, Nature Nurture Globe, page 152. Published by Imagination Publishing, 2007.

Cool Globes, Hot Ideas for a Cooler Planet, Public Art Guide, Nature Nurture Globe by Nancy Pochis Bank, sponsored by Goldman Sachs. Published by The Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs.

"California LUV", Southwest Airlines Magazine, featured: Community Care Globe by Nancy Pochis Bank, San Francisco, 2008

Creative Careers, By Mary Lou Quinlan. Originally published in MORE magazine, May 2007.

"Giant Globes All Over Chicago" Forecast Earth, The Weather Channel, weather.com

Art and The Photobooth, photobooth.net.

Corporate/Public Collections

Lake County Forest Preserve District, Greenbelt Cultural Center, North Chicago, IL