A Life in Color
Born in London, Kentucky, Nan Phelps demonstrated an early fascination with the natural world, spending her childhood studying rocks, flowers, plants, streams, clouds, and small animals. This innate curiosity was fueled by a gift of crayons at age five, which sparked a lifelong love for drawing. During her teenage years, she transitioned into painting after a teacher provided her with watercolors and paper. After moving to Hamilton, Ohio, in 1922, she began primarily using oil paints. Her talent was recognized in 1940 when she won a local talent show, earning a scholarship to attend the Art Academy of Cincinnati.
Phelps was a prolific creator who worked for over sixty years, producing more than 1000 paintings. Her diverse body of work included:
Artistic Legacy and Reach
The scope of Phelps' work was remarkably varied, ranging from miniatures only 1" by 1" to large murals measuring 6' by 17'. Beyond traditional canvas, she applied her art to natural objects like rocks and seashells. Her work gained significant recognition through a relationship with the Galerie St. Etienne in New York City, and her paintings have been exhibited in various museums and international locations, including the Daimaru Museum in Kyoto, Japan. Her pieces have also been displayed in United States Embassies in West Germany, Finland, and Denmark.
Her paintings are held in several permanent museum collections, including:
