Today we’d like to introduce you to Katy Nail.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Growing up beside my mother in a world of painters in Houston and Galveston gave me the impression that everyone’s mother painted. I noticed it wasn’t entirely true when I turned sixteen. Roaming freely, drawing, loving music and being allowed to paint in my mother’s studio without supervision defined my childhood. Curiosity and stubbornness too. Our home in Galveston was between two bird sanctuaries and so often I was out fishing, crabbing and sailing alone, preparing myself for spending lots of alone time. Painters do that. A fascination with the natural world began at age four and hasn’t let up.
I was educated, had a baby and made my living as a painter in Austin, Texas. Not easy! And here I am with the same community of artists, friends and family for forty eight years. My mother, Frances Nail, became a popular writer at age seventy and my daughter, Carrie Rodriguez, has always been an amazing fiddle player/singer/songwriter. I garden, watch the deer have babies in the yard, still paint and have gotten to spend so much time with my grandson Cruz for ten years. Three grandkids live in Pittsburgh so there are trips to Pennsylvania. Third husband, Jim Swift, of twenty years is still here and my brilliant sister, Leslie Nail, lives in Austin too. I proceeded as the way opened but mostly I was an incredibly lucky person and still am.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It’s a pretty bumpy ride for most people. As a painter I had good years and lean years but kept going. I persevered. Health problems plagued my younger life and I try to avoid those now as much as possible! It helps to live a simple life, grow your own vegetables and avoid stress as much as possible. The struggle for me has become the effort to save the planet, stop the wall on our border, and not dwell every minute on the rancid political climate…the big mess. I must say it’s a tall order and I occasionally think back to simpler times.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Painting with oil has been the focus all my life. Making a living with commissions in the form of unusual portraits for four decades paid my bills and was at times a fun challenge. At other times it was like pulling teeth, depending on the individual client. In the Austin art world I was more known for my non-commissioned work, which included mural size paintings of nature with local people in a mythological setting. Personal myths. I’ve sold these too over the years. I turned to boulder formations in the landscape for several years. Following that period, I studied Hinduism for two years so that I could do a very special project for Hindu clients which will be included in my images here. I’m proud to say I chose what and how I was painting at any given time, not working to complete someone else’s vision. That seems like an authentic way to work looking back.. true to self tells a deeper story. A soul connection.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I am a fiend for Glenn Gould since age seven. I am a fiend for food. I am a fiend for love.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://katynailart.com
- Instagram: katynailpaints
