Nancy Howe’s life as an artist began early, and her creativity was encouraged by her father, who worked at Esquire magazine in New York City and shared her work with mentors in the magazine’s art department. He made a point of taking her to the major art museums in the city to introduce her to inspiring historic artists, and she became especially captivated by the French animal painter Rosa Bonheur.

That moment of affinity foretold her future as a wildlife artist, which finally came to fruition at the age of 40 after raising two sons and sheep on a small farm in Vermont. Forgoing formal art training, Howe opted for a self-directed educational path, which allowed her to explore several styles and techniques while pursuing additional interests. For more than three decades, those interests and experiences enriched and contributed to her mature work as a fine artist. Today her paintings are described as suffused with light and exquisitely textural while having a quiet presence that pervades even the most dynamic compositions.

In 1990, Howe made history as the first woman artist chosen by the U.S. Department of Interior’s Federal Duck Stamp Program to paint the design for the 1991/1992 conservation revenue stamp. She has been the recipient of numerous national exhibition awards from Oil Painters of America, the Society of Animal Artists, and the International Masters of Fine Art Invitational, among others. Her work has been juried into the Woodson Art Museum’s international Birds in Art exhibitions since 1990, and she was honored as their 2005 Master Wildlife Artist.

Howe’s paintings can be found in several permanent collections, including in the National Museum of Wildlife Art and the Woodson Art Museum. She exhibited for many years in the Artists of America show in Denver and The Great American Artists Exhibition in Cincinnati. She is represented by Tilting at Windmills Gallery (Manchester Center, VT).