April Artist of the Month
Meet Nancy Present -VanBroekhoven
Artist Nancy Present-VanBroekhoven has been making dreams come true for a very long time and for many people. For over 40 years she was a social worker helping populations with special challenges. At the Jewish Community Center of Greater Boston, she worked with children, teens and adults to develop programs where they could come together for enriching activities: Music and Movement for Parents and their children, Karate for Children with Developmental Challenges were a few. “The parents might come up with ideas or I would see a need and I would make it happen.” When she decided to retire, she wanted to find another way to bring meaning to her days. “What gave me permission to pursue painting was that one of the boys with whom I had worked for many years started exhibiting his art and I would go to all of his shows. I saw not only what he put into his art, but also what he got out of sharing his work.”
Present-VanBroekhoven saw a notice about a watercolor class given by Sarah Alexander at Broadmoor. She called ahead to make sure that the class would not be too intimidating and was pleased to find a very supportive and talented group with whom she still paints. She credits both Alexander and Artist Nan Rumpf, “a gifted teacher,” for helping her to develop her voice as a watercolorist. When COVID hit, she and her peers began a Critique Group meeting weekly on Zoom for the last several years. She joined several organizations and has donated her time and talents to all of them: the WSA where she has been coordinating membership, the Needham Art Association where she coordinates the art work hung at the Center at the Heights (the Needham Senior Center). She also belongs to the Newton Watercolor Society and has been involved with the Dedham Art Association. Using know-how from her career, she spearheads events such as plein air painting outings and she takes advantage of learning opportunities that each group has to offer.
In the relatively short time she has been painting, Present-VanBroekhoven has participated in numerous group shows including WSA, Dedham Art, and NAA Exhibits as well as group shows sponsored through the Natick Public Library, Grace Chapel in Lexington and the 5 Star Show in Watertown, A taste of Wellesley at Elm Bank. In addition to group shows, Present-Van Broekhoven has hosted private or semi private shows at the Wellesley Public library with Yvonne Unger, shows at Broadmoor Sanctuary, and Christ Episcopal Church . In December she will be having another show at the Wellesley Public library with Mi Herzog. In keeping with this artist’s spirit of giving, many of these shows have supported charities. At Christ Episcopal Church, artists are asked to choose a charity close to their heart and Present-VanBroekhoven chose to support Silent Spring, which researches environmental causes of breast cancer.
When travelling with her husband, Present-VanBroekhoven paints endemic scenes and wildlife; “when we were in Florida, I painted pelicans; in Scotland I painted highland cows; in New Zealand I paint water scapes. Watercolors are easy to pack and very portable so I always have them with me.” She also enjoys capturing special family events in her artwork to share with loved ones. She loves that her art can be enjoyed by others and admits “my daughter has taken most of my favorite pieces.” She now has four grandchildren with whom she shares the gift of art.
“I am inspired by all the artists in my local organizations,” says Present-VanBroekhoven. She is also inspired by nature and loves painting animals, especially birds. Her paintings are lovely reminders of the places she has been. “Art gives me a sense of time and place; my personal art reminds me of the places I’ve been, the people I’ve met and the things I’ve done.”
