Naomi Nickerson received a Bachelor's Degree in painting from the San Francisco Art Institute in 1992. After serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nigeria and VISTA member in Washington DC, Naomi decided to return to the field of art and attended graduate school at the Maryland Institute College of Art.

Under the direction of Hoffberger School of Painting Director, Grace Hartigan, Naomi began to address painting in a new way. After working on a historic horse farm, she decided to tackle the somewhat prosaic subject matter of the pastoral landscape. Her work began to address the conflict of society’s priorities grinding against ideas of the nature of nature, the nature of the pastoral and the nature of nostalgia.

After graduating with an MFA, Naomi moved to Virginia to work as a full time groom. She continued to pursue the subject of the pastoral landscape. However the commute took its toll and her work turned darker, and more isolated, as evidenced by the landscapes “ Green Way” and “At Least the Sky.”

Naomi is a recent immigrant to Reno, Nevada. This state, with its unusual history and high desert abundance has captivated her. While the newest paintings are still devoid of most objects save mountains and sky, there is a warmth and intimacy present. It is a sense of homecoming.