Like This: Nan Coffey’s Inclusive Social Media Mission
Article by Natalie Neece
“My passion is involving people in my art and connecting them with it,” said San Diego Contemporary artist Nan Coffey. By using Facebook, Nan creates a platform for people to share their stories with her and to become a part of her artwork. The result is hundreds of people joined together to create one inspiring painting.
Nan paints large format paintings that span over hundreds of square feet. She refers to her art style as “Art All Over.” She utilizes the entire surface of her chosen canvas and is free to express herself on any object that inspires her creativity. In 2015, Nan completed her first “Inclusion Art” piece, where she included 172 people’s stories in her 10’ x13’ masterpiece.
When Coffey has an idea, she executes it. While making paintings for galleries, she thought “what if I include strangers participation? Her first “Inclusion Art” piece in 2015, included over 100 people. She is currently working on her second “Inclusion Art” piece that is expected to include over 200 people’s stories. She began the project in March and will continue until she feels the project is completed. She asked her followers to comment on her Facebook page with what makes them happy and will add those experiences to her giant canvas.
“I believe that we are all connected. Inclusion art is about showing this connectivity visually through my art. I take my own life stories and the stories from others, most of which I do not know personally, and I flow them all together into one unified work of art. The term came naturally as I was working on these audience participation pieces. People kept saying “thank you for including me” as I progressed along with the paintings, so I began referring to these pieces as inclusion art,” explained Coffey.
Coffey’s work is currently being shown at Skye Art Gallery in Las Vegas, NV. Coffey occasionally paints live at galleries or public events for people to view her process. She has art hanging at the Bali Hai Restaurant and at Tender Greens in Liberty Station and Downtown San Diego. To follow her “Inclusion Art” experience, like her on Facebook at Facebook.com/ArtistNanCoffey and follow her on Instagram.
