Stacey Nussbaum, Artist

I am so fortunate to live in the southern San Francisco Bay Area, surrounded by Redwood forests on one side, grassy chaparral on the other, and marshy baylands on the other. And just over the hill are Coastal Santa Cruz, Monterey and Carmel.  I love to ride my bike around these hills, watching the seasons work their magic on the local landscape. 

I've been making art all my life and have been painting seriously for 20 plus years, ever since I discovered pastel. The type I use is called soft pastel. It looks like chalk but is oh so much better than chalk! I love that it is pure pigment. The richness and the beauty of marks I can make with pastel mesmerize me. I also love that it's fully hands on, no tools between me and my medium.

My usual process is to go out for a bike ride, get inspired, and snap some photos on the way. (This makes it really hard to keep up with my friends who are all very strong riders! But its all worth it). Ideally I'll begin painting those images within a couple of days, while the feeling of that place and moment is still with me.  Sometimes, though, I'll take my gear out on location to paint - en plein air. My plein air paintings are often my favorites. The changing light doesn't allow time for precision, strokes are loose.  I feel like the vibrancy of the setting, and my excitement over what I'm seeing, really shows through in those plein air paintings.  

"Dusk on Fortini Trail" was created on location.

Besides making art, I'm a proud mom of two pretty awesome teenage human beings, and I'm a Medical Social Worker at Kaiser Permanente. 

My art business has been designated as a "Trusted Art Seller" with The Art Storefronts Organization, which means you can shop with confidence, and know that I stand behind the quality and value of my products.