EDUCATION
Master of Fine Art, San Jose State University: 1997
Extended Studies in Sculpture, Sonoma State University: 1993 – 1994
Bachelor of Fine Art, Southwest Texas State University: 1991
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Founder and Artistic Director, Trails & Vistas, Truckee, CA 2004 – Present
Trails & Vistas art and nature programs create community by celebrating the arts and nature. Each year I create collaborations with local arts and environmental non-profits, and over forty independent artists. Responsible for all phases of large scale production of all events; art hikes, field trips, World Concert: A Peace Project of Truckee Tahoe, and art, dance, storytelling community workshops. Responsible for all aspects of creative elements – performance art, dance, music, poetry, and installation art. Nancy Tieken Lopez works and lives on unceded land of the Martis and Washoe, and gathering place for Maidu, Shoshone and Paiute.
Artistic Director, Unseen Art Hike, 2018
Designed and created specialty Art Hike, featuring visual and performance art installations celebrating the work of early California poet and photographer, Anne Brigman. Collaboration with Nevada Museum of Art’s Anne Brigman Exhibit.
Artist in Residence California Arts Council Grantee and Arts For the Schools, 2000 – 2014
Curriculum planning, teaching hands-on projects to develop skills in two and three-dimensional art with emphasis on collaborative community projects. Glenshire Elementary School in Truckee, CA, and Kings Beach Elementary School, Kings Beach, CA
Instructor, Helping the Wild Art Club, for 3rd through 5th grade students, 2010-2013
Helping the Wild Art Club goals were to bring environmental action through art and writing to help endangered animals. Helping The Wild raised funds through art sales that went to adopting two elephants from the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, adoption of sea turtles from the Sea Turtle, Inc, and a local donation was made to Truckee Donner Land Trust. www.helpingthewild.org
Educator, In-Service Workshop Instructor, 2005
Provided training for Truckee Tahoe Unified School District teachers using hands-on art projects linked to the California state standards art curriculum. Co-authored Arts For the Schools art project book for children, with step-by-step visual art lesson plans.
Visual Arts Coordinator, Community School of Music and Art, Mountain View, CA,1997 – 1999
Responsible for managing and scheduling all phases of the Summer Visual Arts Programs including art and music camps, and workshops for children K-8th grade. Managed over 50 workshops each summer for Community School of Music Summer Programs including; program management, supervision of instructors, developing and managing contracts for personnel, coordinating volunteer program, asset and resource management, and fiscal planning for summer visual art programs.
Teaching Associate for Three Dimensional Concepts & Foundry Tech, San Jose State University,1994-1996 Responsible for teaching a university-level art course. Including classroom management, curriculum planning, slide lectures, presentations and demonstrations. Foundry Technician for bronze foundry, supervised bronze pours.
HONORS AND AWARDS
Best of Tahoe Selection for Best Community Event, Trails & Vistas Art Hikes, 2020
Proclamation from the Mayor of the Town of Truckee, Trout Creek School of Fish Art Project, 2007
Fine Art Chairperson, Art and Culture Council of Truckee/Tahoe, 2005-2006
Senator Diane Feinstien Senate Art Installation Sponsorship, The Day I Met the Sky, 2003
California Arts Council Grant Review Panelist, 2001
California Arts Council Artist in Residence Grantee, 2000-2004
Fellowship Grantee, The Carving Studio & Sculpture Center, 2001
Violet Speedy Scholarship, San Jose State University, California, 1995
PUBLICATIONS, FILMS, LECTURES
Art Within Nature Film, Art Hike art performances and interviews, 2019
Full Circle Film, Art performance installation for virtual art hike film, 2020
Featured Artist: Nevada County Cultural District, 2019
Tahoe Weekly publications cover and article features, 2011-2020
Lake Tahoe World Concert Reminds us to Give Peace a Chance, Los Angeles Times
Travel Blog, 2014
Belonging film, Artist Interview about working in the landscape, 2018
Destinations, San Francisco Chronicle, Aug. 20, 2006
Trails & Vistas, Wind over Stone, Sierra Sun, Aug. 18, 2005
Youth Outreach Lecture, Nevada Museum of Art, June 2003
Inside the Outside (detail) A Journal of Art Criticism: Volume 6, Number 2, 1999
Tuesday Night Lecture Series, M.F.A. graduates, San Jose State: Spring 1997
Outdoor Sculpture, Los Altos Town Crier: May 21, 1997
EXHIBITIONS FOR ARTIST IN RESIDENCE COLLABORATIONS and INDIVIDUAL EXHIBITIONS
Trails & Vistas Art Hikes: Founder and Artistic Director, installation & performance art, artistic collaborations, 2004 – present
The Dreaming Tree Field Trip, 2011-present
World Concert: A Peace Project of Truckee Tahoe, 2013-present
Community Art & Dance workshops 2004- to present
Trails & Vistas The Dreaming Tree Film, interactive art film with hands-on art projects for 3rd grade students and residents of Tahoe Forest Hospital’s Long Term Care Center, 2021
Trails & Vistas Full Circle Film, Virtual Art Hike featuring performance and visual art, 2020
Art Within Nature, a documentary art film from Lake Tahoe Art Hike themed Blue, 2019
Into the Journey, earth paintings, Riverside Studios, Truckee, CA, 2017
Cultural Land Tour: Collaboration with Truckee Donner Land Trust, The land tours featured music and dance, August, 2017
Walk the Talk: United Nations Environment Program, film projection and installation work. The Galleria, San Francisco Design Center, 2006
Live It Up, Cancer Center for the Carson Tahoe Regional Healthcare Campus, 2006
A Show of Kindness: Developed a children’s art exhibition and fundraising event for Hurricane Katrina disaster relief, 2005
Poetry Stepping Stones: Installed on the campus of Glenshire Elementary School. Collaboration with a botanist, CA State Park Ranger and 5th grade students, 2005
Wildlife Totem Poles: Installed at the Glenshire pond trailhead. Collaboration with Forest Service Rangers, 5th grade students and teachers, local engineers, 2004
Tahoe Map Tile Mural: Installed at Kings Beach Elementary School. Collaboration with Sierra Educational Watershed Project, Guest Poet, 3rd & 5th grade students, 2004
The Day I Met the Sky, Quilt and poetry exhibition tour, fifth grade students/artists
Cal•Neva Resort, Crystal Bay, NV, 2002
National Federation of State Poetry Societies, Southwestern OR, 2002
Community College, Coos Bay, OR: June, 2002
California State Capitol, Sacramento, CA, 2002
Russell Senate Building, Washington D.C., 2003
Seeds of Change, Installation and performance art, The Hambridge Center, GA, 2001
4 Elements, Installation and performance art, The Sculpture Center, VT, 2001
Trust, performance, The Carving Studio & Sculpture Center, VT, 2001
Slide Exhibition, (juried), Viridian Artists Inc, NY, 2001
Sense of Wonder, (invitational) Vista Gallery, Tahoe Vista, CA, 2001
CSMA Arts in Action, City Hall, Mountain View, CA, 1999
Art and Healing, (juried), Artwest Gallery, Jackson, WY, 1997
Silent Night, (invitational) WORKS Gallery, San Jose, CA, 1997
Out of State Show, installation, WORKS Gallery, San Jose, CA, 1997
Spring Streams, original Art Hike performance and earthworks, Alum Rock Park, CA, 1997
Outdoor Sculpture on Loan, (juried group exhibition), Los Altos, CA, 1997