Among the plethora of talents found in and surrounding the island of Key West emerges a new and refreshing style of painter and sculptor. Nancy Adams delivers whimsy and pure joy with her torch-tinted metal birds and acrylic paintings as illuminated as a Mallory Square sunset.
Adams was born along the southern coast of New England and gained a love for water from a very young age. She visited the Florida Keys in her early twenties as a way to escape the hustle and bustle of what she calls her workaholic life. She once only dreamed of calling these islands her home. Adams met her husband, John “Tuz” Adams, just over 20 years ago when a fortuitous chain of events afforded her an opportunity to show her stuff while painting bottlenose dolphins on his motorhome. After winning him over with her painting, the next logical step was to win his heart, which she did in short order. Recently, she and her husband finally built a waterside nest in lovely Sugarloaf Key. Upon arriving in our island paradise, the colorful paints and paintbrushes emerged, the welding torch was lit, and her creativity has been, dare I say, on fire.
“As a recent Anne McKee Grant recipient, my current artwork consists of painting the amazing color combinations in land and sky,” Adams said, “and the waterscapes that only the Keys environment seems to offer.” Her paintings range from landscapes and seascapes to birds, boats, and botanicals. I refer to Adams as a Renaissance woman, since her skills in painting and drawing are matched by a stellar handling of form in her metal lanterns and repurposed (sustainable) tin-can sculptures. Furthermore, Adams hand-paints signs and works in the lost art of gold leaf. She told me, “I do love my metalwork, because it’s specifically not precise. It’s raw and flexible. It allows me to focus on 3D shapes and gestures while still keeping it humorous and lighthearted.”
Although she said she never wants to be defined as an artist simply based upon an artistic medium, she does favor working with acrylic paint. Her preference of acrylics stems from the speed at which she can work as she brings bright, bold and imaginative visions to life with a paintbrush as her magic wand. It is well worth the trip down to Duval Street to visit the Guild Hall Gallery in Old Town, Key West. There you will discover her wide array of wonderful paintings and sculptures and if you listen closely, at least one will likely speak to you. Adams originals are priced from $200 to $2,000, but she offers reproductions on paper and on ceramic tiles for under $40, making them a perfect gift for the holidays, or ideal souvenirs all throughout the year.
