Nancy Byrtus

September 2024, February 2025

Nancy Byrtus is a mixed media painter who lives and works on the traditional xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) lands in Vancouver, Canada. Her background includes the conservation of historic buildings (MA Heritage Conservation) and employment at museums and galleries in Canada and the US. In 2020, she completed her studies in painting at the Emily Carr University of Art + Design and currently, she sits on the Burnaby Art Gallery Acquisitions Committee.

As an emerging artist, Nancy works primarily to document the mountains and seascapes of her surroundings. Her abstracts are also nature-based, derived from patterns of light or varying the scale of subject matter. To respect and preserve the environment, her newest goal is to find more ecologically-sensitive ways to paint. Currently, she incorporates raw canvas and charcoal in her work and is attempting to create paints using plant and mineral pigments.

Residency Events and Projects:

Grist Mill Fall Fair - September 28, 2024

Image: Nancy Byrtus in her studio

SAR was my first artist residency - what a special place to experience! I came to the SAR cabin with many projects to complete, but Similkameen was so beautiful that I spent my time exploring the region, leaving with new ideas, new paintings and good memories.
Many, many thanks to the Freybe family, for their generosity and foresight; to Ali Bischoff who was a lovely and thoughtful host, and to the Syilx Nation for the privilege of visiting their traditional lands. I hope the impact of this programme will continue to grow and to benefit this region.

Nancy Byrtus, Testimonial

Similkameen, Nancy Byrtus, oil on canvas, 2024

(Unfinished), Nancy Byrtus, mixed media, 2024