Nancy McRay

Nancy McRay’s Artist Statement

I am lucky to live within a wonderland of water. These tapestries represent how this region is embedded within me, and how I am situated within the landscape. In Flow: Blood/Breath, the lakes and river system is depicted inside the area of my lungs. The enclosing shape can be read as “body” or as “Earth”. But, as I wove this, I realized over and over that this image is highly personal and autobiographical. How I am fractured and how I am mended is all here.

Ayers Road is on my daily walking path. Those familiar with my neighborhood cal tell you what month, and time of day to which this work refers, based on the color of the field and the length of the shadow. Icy Lake is a winter scene, from a day when the melt and freeze cycle resulted in a smooth, though fractured surface.

Nancy McRay’s Artist Biography

Nancy McRay holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Michigan with an emphasis on fiber art. She has worked as a studio artist and community arts organizer since 1994. An award-winning artist, McRay’s current works are with tapestry, rigid heddle weaving, and compound weave structures.

McRay is a member of the Northern Michigan artists group, The Greta Project: Growing Responsibility for the Environment Through Art. The “Invasive Species” project was well received at the Glen Arbor Art Center and continues to be exhibited around the state. Their newest venture will explore climate change as it intersects with social justice.