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Erica Nordean, a former exercise rider herself,
imbues her artwork with that experience - and the results are
daring, abstract pieces awash in brilliant colors. With powerful
lines and curves, her paintings embody a sense of energy and
majesty.
Working in both pastel and oils on canvas, she is steadily gaining
a broad appreciative audience within the art scene. Erica was
born in Seattle and began exercise riding at the racetrack when
she was 18, and continues riding horses in the mornings for
13 years.
Although she always wanted to be an artist, she was encouraged
by her parents to pursue a more "stable" career. She earned
an Associate's Degree in physical therapy from Green River College
in Auburn, Washington, before continuing on to Southern Methodist
University (SMU) in Dallas, Texas, on a swimming scholarship.
It was at SMU that her lifelong dream began to take shape. "I
was taking all the classes, but art was all I liked," she says.
"I finally decided in my late twenties that I really wanted
to be an artist." Erica eventually took the plunge. Quitting
her job as a therapist, she began painting and taking classes
at the Pratt School of Fine Arts in Seattle.
While at Pratt, she participated in a group art show and was
immediately picked up by a gallery in the Northwest. Erica was
probably the only one surprised by her instant success. "I sold
a painting a day for a while," she said.
Confident that she had taken the right path, Erica never looked
back. Erica's artwork hangs in galleries from Seattle, Wash.
to Saratoga Springs, New York. In addition to her extensive
gallery representation, Erica's work can be found in many private
collections around the country.
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914
water street, port townsend, washington 98368 | telephone (360) 385-3630