Nan Sidler

Nan Sidler is a Peterborough-based artist. She has explored a variety of mediums over the past several years, but watercolour and graphite continue to be her favourites. They allow for both intricate detail, and loose impressionistic effects. The inherent fluidity and transparency of watercolour make it an ideal medium to paint the reflective qualities of water and atmospheric effects that are found in her work.

A strong environmentalist, Nan’s passion for hiking, canoeing, and camping are exhibited in her landscapes, but she also seeks to capture the grace of children, animals, and nature with finely rendered portraits or still life images. Canoes are often featured in her paintings since they are her ideal vehicles of entry into the natural world. Her plein air sketches and photography become references for detailed work done later in the studio. She combines techniques of wet into wet, glazing, sponging and dry brush to create images of contemporary realism.

Nan views her art as a dialogue between the artist and viewer. Her goal is to make an emotional connection with her audience to offer new ways of seeing. Nan has exhibited at art shows in the Kawarthas, as well as in Toronto at Nathan Phillips Square. Her work can be found in private and corporate collections across Canada and in the U.S., and has been featured in both local and national publications. In 2024, Nan was elected into the Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolour.