As an artist, it is hard for Nancy Junkin to talk about herself. No surprise there, since many artists see themselves as supporting actors in their own lives; first comes the art, then the artist, then the person. When your art speaks volumes, like Junkin’s does, the conversation never ends. We met for a conversation at her studio, right behind the Howell Gallery at 6432 N. Western, where her work is shown. Her private world is as bright and colorful as she is.

Tell us about your work. It is right in between figurative and abstract, and some people may call it expressionistic. I use a palette with lots of colors, so I am a colorist. I always do acrylic or oil on canvas, and I use a large collection of brushes.

What does art mean to you? Art is a high level of communication. It is a sophisticated way to tell a story. It adds to everybody’s life, whether it is through architecture, sculpture, a mural. It would be a sad world without art. 

What inspires you? People. I have always been a people-watcher. I love looking at how people dress, where they are going, or what they are talking about. [Inspiration is] life for me. It’s not inanimate objects. It’s not a rock or a waterfall or nature. For me, it’s people. 

What captivates you? Color, design, motion. I love bronzes and all sorts of different art media, but for me, it is all about the canvas and the paint.

What is the story, beyond the color, of your art? People tell me that my art evokes emotions in them, so I guess some feelings are translated through my art to people … It must be my own emotions translated into what I am doing. My more successful pieces are the ones that happen quickly, when I allow them to be and allow me to be myself.

Ultimately, I measure the success of my painting if the viewer can relate to it. If, by looking at it, they feel something, then it is successful. As an artist, that is my way of connecting. Some people connect through writing or music. My way of connecting is through my paintings.

What inspires you as far as color? I look at a lot of artists’ works. I have a massive library of books, and I will look through them for inspiration – and typically, what makes me stop and look is color beyond the image. Magic sometimes happens when you have your palette. You have your choice of colors, and then you mix them, and you get a new one, and you are just mesmerized by it. 

Tell me about your favorite piece. My most memorable pieces have figures in them, they are friable, abstracted…  and they are my granddaughter. She is 16. She might just be reading a book or on her phone, but there is something about the way she sits that is intriguing to me, and I love to capture that. She calls herself my muse. It’s an extraordinary thing. I have to say I love all of my five granddaughters, but Mallory is the one who inspires me in that way. 

How did you get your start? I dabbled with it in school, then I got the chance to work with an interior designer, and I could not stop thinking about the fabrics and color. I decided to start doing color on my own, and that is when I went back to school to pursue a masters in fine arts. I never got to finish because I got so focused on doing my own thing. I took a lot of workshops from independent artists, and then just became what I do. I have now been painting for 25 years. •

ABOUT THE ARTIST
Nancy Junkin

“I’m not a straight-line person...”

Nancy Junkin was born and raised in Ponca City, Oklahoma. As a child, she loved art instruction and spent hours painting with oils and creating abstract designs. After graduating from the University of Oklahoma in 1970 with a BA in English, she taught first grade in Noble, then left the state to live in Texas for 12 years. Upon returning to Oklahoma, Junkin moved to Edmond. After her children were grown, and while working as an investment consultant, she decided to pursue her interest in and love of art by taking classes at the University of Central Oklahoma toward an M.F.A. She left graduate school to work with an interior design firm, enhancing her eye for design and color. During that time, she continued drawing and painting—she has now been actively painting and showing for more than 15 years. Currently, Junkin lives in Oklahoma City and works with oil and acrylic paints, occasionally incorporating mixed media.