"As a painter, my greatest desire is to express the human condition of strong women from film, poems, and classic tales using contemporary concepts and subjects. In a socially detached world, I intend to draw an emotional response from the viewer by evoking my subject's psychological moments and mood in the environment. As human beings, we have many layers, past and present patterns that are constantly moving from one form or idea into another." - Nanci France-Vaz Nanci France-Vaz is a modern renaissance artist that uses allegorical symbolism to create visual stories on canvas. France-Vaz draws inspiration from the Pre-Raphaelite and Naturalist periods of art, poetry, and classic literature, and film. She combines her strong foundation in life painting with imaginative backgrounds fusing classical with contemporary realism. The most recent paintings are from The Bohemian Spirits series. The paintings concepts are based on a moment in time, classical literature, film, and poetry, introducing a modern subject or twist to her story. Her intent is to combine hope, spiritual beliefs, and the human condition. Most of her models are professional musicians, artists, actors, and dancers because of the creative connection. The spiritual, the mystical, and the mythical have underlying tones and meanings left for the beholder to ponder and engage psychologically. Having studied Stanislavski Method Acting allows for a spiritual connection to her subjects expressing emotion and mood. Her study of lighting and movement, through acting, dance, and theater is the catalyst for creating a still image from a cinematic process. France-Vaz's patterns of life express a life experience or moment of thought in time. Nanci France-Vaz was born in Brooklyn, NY and moved to the UWS in Manhattan to study with her mentors. She now resides in Wanamassa, NJ where she teaches workshops and privately at her Asbury Park Atelier. She has a BFA from the School of Visual Arts in 3D Computer Animation for Film and Special Effects.The artist has won many awards and has been in high profile exhibits nationally and internationally. Her selected exhibits are ModPortrait at the Museum of Modern European Art in Barcelona, Figurativas 1st round finalist, ARC Salon, Principle Gallery for IGOR, Abend Gallery, and Oil Painters of America National and Eastern Regional Shows.Her commissions and paintings hang in private collections.