Co-curated by loved ones and peers of the esteemed artist and published author, Nancy Raeburn, this retrospective stands to honor her creativity through a wide chronology of artworks. This ten day show and art sale will be situated on the Washburn Cultural Center’s third floor where viewers and collectors alike are invited to experience the depth and range of Raeburn’s work.

Nancy Raeburn was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, grew up in nearby Mahtomedi, but inspiration for her art has come from around the country and the globe. Following her studies at Macalester College, the University of Minnesota, & the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Raeburn moved to Mykonos where she further honed her craft under the intense sunlight that beckons artists from around the globe. During her decade in Greece, Raeburn studied with the Mexican artist Louis Orozco, who still lives on the island. 

Since her return to the midwest and subsequent publishing of her “affectionate memoir… [and] unpretentious meditation on the meaning of life” (a 1990 Minnesota Voices Project Winner), Raeburn continued to expand upon her artistic practice while serving as a pillar of creative communities from Cornucopia to St. Paul. By 1999 she was teaching memoir classes at the Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis. A Wurlitzer Foundation Fellowship in 2003 sent Nancy to Taos, New Mexico for three months of uninterrupted painting. After acquiring her beloved shop in the Cornucopia marina, the Sea Hag, her scenic and figural paintings evolved into beautifully conceived collages made from watercolor-painted paper; and “floor cloths”, which are delicate stencils done on prepared canvas panels. Nancy always maintained her connection to the St. Paul artists’ world, had a studio in the Lowertown area and was a member of SPAC, the St. Paul Artists Collective. She had success in numerous St. Paul & Cornucopia Art Crawls. This year, the Cornucopia Art Crawl Committee has chosen one of Nancy Raeburn’s collages to be the poster for this annual showcase of local artists.