- CA QUA02858
- Person
- 1923-2004
Nan Yeomans was born June 6, 1923. She lived with her aunt and uncle on the Yeomans farm at Petworth until 1935. From 1935-1947 she lived at the Whitty farm at Pleasant Valley. She became a resident of Kingston in January 1948 and lived there for the rest of her life. She passed away August 21, 2004.
Nan attended Queen's University Summer School of Fine Arts in 1949, 1950 and 1951 working in oils, watercolours, drawings, linos, woodcuts and etchings under the direction of artists including André Bieler, Carl Schaefer, Grant Macdonald and Henri Marson. She was enolled in evening classes at Queen's from 1949.1958. Nan also took a 2 year correspondence Commercial Art course, graduating in 1955. Nan attended the Kingston Business College in 1954 specializing in Advancement Accounting. She worked in accounting and bookkeeping jobs (full time and part time) for 34 years from 1954-1988. After 12-15 years away from art she began printmaking again in 1973 when she started taking evening classes at St. Lawrence College. Since that time she concentrated mainly on printmaking, experimenting with a variety of printmaking techniques.
When she retired from accounting Nan finally became a full time "professional Fine Arts Printmaker" and continued actively printmaking until her death. All Nan's prints were artist produced originals. She never had reproductions made of her work.
Throughout Nan's life she maintained her interest in art, history and nature. She held memberships and executive positions in local groups including the Kingston Historical Society, Kingston Horticultural Society, Kingston Field Naturalists, Cataraqui Conservation Foundation, Kingston Lapidary and Mineral Club, Rideau Trail Club, Kingston Regional Arts Council, Agnes Etherington Gallery Association, Kingston School of Art and was an inaugural member of KAAI in 1977. Nan was Chairman of the Craft Committee for KOPEC (Kingston Olympic Public Events Committee) that organized the Hand to Hand National Craft Show and National Juried Exhibition of Crafts in 1976 in honour of Olympic Year.
Nan exhibited regularly locally, for man years. Some highlights include solo shows: A Personal Point of View at the Agnes Etherington Art Centre in 1989, Tommie's 25th and 30th Birthday shows and a Retrospective at KAAI in 1994, 1995 and 1999, "50 Years 1949-1999 - A Retrospective" show in 2000 at Kingston Frontenac Public Library and The Union Gallery in 2003.
Nan was the subject of a documentary by Valerie Westgate entitled Under My Shell in 2004.