Nancy Wall has been named the Tryon Arts and Crafts School’s artist of the month.

Her ceramic sculptures may be seen during the month of May in the gallery of Tryon Arts & Crafts School located at 373 Harmon Field Road in Tryon. Hours of the school are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

Wall, a self-described former surfer girl from California, was raised in a military family with the assignment to see the “good ole U.S. of A.” She grew up mostly on the East coast.

Her love affair with art started almost 40 years ago, when she picked up a paint brush and discovered a release of creativity.

Mostly self-taught, a love of sculpting emerged. However, her favorite subject is the portrait, and always with the goal to capture the soul of the subject. 

Wall describes her artwork as lending itself to an emotional response.

“Though it is always a challenge to pick up a piece of clay and mold it to reflect joy, anger, fear or deep sadness, without these responses, the clay should remain in the ground,” she said.  “Painting or whatever I decide upon to complete a sculpture, is just an extension of a response.  As I share a bit of my inner self through my art, may the viewer be transported to that other place where only a few are allowed to go.”

Wall has earned many awards of merit and excellence, and currently resides in Roebuck, South Carolina, with her husband and their two dogs.

Though life can be hard, her philosophy remains, “a merry heart doeth good like a medicine.” (Proverbs 17:22)

– Submitted by Cathy Fischer