–By using Facebook, Nan creates a platform for people to share their stories with her to become a part of her artwork—involving hundreds of people together in one inspiring painting–
San Diego, Calif. (March 25, 2016) – San Diego contemporary artist, Nan Coffey, connects hundreds of people together by including their stories in her paintings, referring to it as “Inclusion Art.” Nan utilizes Facebook to connect with her audience, inviting them to share their personal stories on her Facebook page, then interpreting their stories and creating the iconography in her large canvas paintings. Nan’s intention is to use her unique artistic talents as a vehicle to show connectivity, inclusion and love in the world.
“My passion is involving people in my art and connecting them with it. I’ll post a status on my Facebook asking my followers what makes them happy or to tell me what they love, and I’ll get hundreds of comments and amazing stories,” said Nan. “I’ve found that so many people are going through the same life-experiences and one of the things that’s most comforting to me, is I’m creating a space for people to connect with one another through my art.”
Nan paints large format paintings that span over hundreds of square feet. She refers to her art style as “Art All Over.” She utilizes the entire surface of her chosen canvas and is free to express herself on any object that inspires her creativity. In 2015, Nan completed her first “Inclusion Art” piece, where she included 172 people’s stories in her 10’ x13’ masterpiece. She’s currently working on her second “Inclusion Art” piece that is expected to be completed by mid-April and include almost 200 people’s stories.
“The response I received on my first public participation painting was amazing—people reacted in such a loving and joyous way. It made me realize what my true purpose was—not only as an artist but in life,” said Nan. “My art is now focused largely on inclusion. We should all work in this world to include, not exclude people. My art is about breaking down walls, not putting them up. It's about learning more about each other, listening to each other, connecting with each other, recognizing each other and in the end, simply loving one another.”
Nan has a bachelors in Animation from the San Francisco Academy of the Arts and her work is currently being shown at Skye Art Gallery in Las Vegas, NV. Nan occasionally paints live at galleries or public events for people to view her process. Nan has art hanging at the Bali Hai Restaurant and at Tender Greens in Liberty Station and Downtown San Diego. For more information on Nan, visit www.nanwashere.com or like her on Facebook at Facebook.com/ArtistNanCoffey.