Fantastical and sophisticated at the same time, Nancy McLean's paintings offer a glimpse into another world. McLean works in oil on canvas, a well-chosen medium for the complexities that her pieces contain. She depicts scenes with a hyper-realism that shows textures in more vivid detail than the naked eye can see, while colors are heightened without being distorted. A glint of sunlight on a leaf becomes a spotlight. Space and terrain are depicted with care, which only underscores the surreal aspects of the objects and figures within. The artist has recently also developed a unique process of creating artworks that appear three-dimensional when viewed with special glasses. Consistently experimenting with new techniques, McLean creates striking compositions of distinctive signature.

 

Though McLean mirrors the physical world in her paintings, she takes these real-life subjects and projects them into scenes that are somewhere between fantasy and possible future. A fern cries human tears in one piece, and a carousel horse imagines itself flying free in another. McLean also deals in political and social themes, confronting reality and human experiences from all angles. 

 

McLean was born in Ontario, Canada, where she continues to live and work today. She has exhibited all across Ontario and teaches art.