Nancy Calef is a multi-media artist whose paintings involve a socio-political narrative. While juxtaposing people in all manner of contemporary situations, Calef addresses social, political and spirituals issues facing society ("Peoplescapes).
By breaking the plane of the canvas with sculpture and found objects, Nancy adds the 3rd dimension, bringing humor and depth of character to difficult subjects. Calef has also created a body of plein-air work as a result of studying the culture and landscape of the many countries she has visited.
She is also the author of "Peoplescapes -- My Story From Painting To Purging" an illustrated memoir.
About The Artist
What They Say about Peoplescapes
“Brueghel meets the underground stylings of artists like Spain and S. Clay Wilson in the oil and mixed-media paintings of Nancy Calef, whose "peoplescapes" are on display at a cutting-edge North Beach gallery.”
San Francisco Chronicle
"Nancy Calef's landscapes of
people are a real challenge
to any figurative painter,
by portraying humanity en masse with all its sad happy faces."
Lawrence Ferlinghetti - Award winning poet and painter; co-founder - City Lights Bookstore
“When I first saw Nancy’s paintings, I thought, Now, here’s an original idea.’ A picture should say something, and her subject matter and palette express a view of the world beyond her years.”
Jack Levine, former president of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, (dec'd 2010).
“One of the most people-possessed painters in contemporary art, Nancy Calef fills her canvases with humanity, rich or poor, stylish or shaggy, manifesting them in equal size because it’s equality, that is love, which rules her brush.”
Jack Hirschman - Award-winning author and poet, painter and former Poet Laureate of SF
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RECENT GROUP EXHIBITIONS
SF Live Worms Gallery - 1345 Grant Ave. San Francisco
April 6 - June 30, 2020 - Artists Sheltering in Place - Virtual
February 2020 - through March 2, 2020
January 2020 - through January 26, 2020
October 4 - October 30, 2019
August 16- September 16, 2019
June 30 - July 28, 2019
May 9 -June 2, 2019
April 5 - April 20, 2019
"Earth" Hosted by Senator Scott Wiener
Climate Action Summit with Gov. Jerry Brown
Gov't Building, 455 Golden Gate, SF, CA
"Peoplescapes" Union Bank, 350 California Street, SF
"Nite Life" Hosted by Senator Scott Wiener
Gov't Building, 455 Golden Gate, SF, CA
"Global Warming & Water Wars: Vision of the future
Lysdor Art - International Group Exhibition
"New Beginnings" Manhattan Arts International
INTERVIEWS & PUBLICATIONS
Reed Magazine - "Check, Please" - April 2021
"Not Normal - Art in the Age of Trump" (Publ 2020)
Art Saved My Life - Artzine - November 2019
Art Habens 10th Anniversary Special Biennial Edition -
Nancy Calef Feature & Interview 2019
Artists for World Peace - Article - September 2018
Wake Up Screaming Magazine - Alchemy - June 2018
Healing Power of Art - Feature - January 2018
The North American Review - November 2017
Repurposed Magazine - Feature - October 2017
San Francisco Magazine, Modern Luxury -
December 2016
Quiet Lightening - Sparkle &Blink 81 - Cover Art -Jan. 2017
Q&A with California-based multi-media artist Nancy Calef
by Michael Limnios-Ambassador of Greece Blues Hall of Fame - October 2016
Art Reveal Magazine Feature - June 2016
Lunch Ticket Magazine -- Spotlight "Peoplescapes"
Passport Podcast with Keith Breitbach
Episode #9 Stepping Stones-Nancy Calef
Professional Artist Magazine
Artist Profile - Feature
