Nancy Benoy

Driven by a spirit of curiosity, my artistic practice celebrates play, discovery, and raw, untethered energy. As a self-taught artist, I am fascinated by the dynamic relationships between colour, shape, and line. Whether working in watercolor, collage, acrylic, or sculpture, my goal remains the same: to reject contemporary neutrality, saturate the world with pigment, and evoke a sense of profound optimism. My work bridges historical and modern influences. I draw heavily from Sonia Delaunay and the Orphism movement, which used brilliant geometric colors to generate rhythm and movement. I pair this history with inspiration from modern installation artists who are pushing the boundaries of traditional design through colour. This philosophy comes to life in my latest series, Constructs in Colour. Using unconventional materials like hardware, salvaged pieces and household items, I build interlocking, friction-fitted sculptures. I weave vibrant nylon trimmer line through stiff pegboard to break up the rigid lines, seamlessly blending form and pigment. My art is an open invitation. By encouraging viewers to find their own stories within these tactile layers, I aim to build community and turn life's unpredictable moments into a joyful, shared visual language.

Nancy Benoy is a self-taught artist and educator in Hamilton, Ontario. Nancy’s practice spans over 20 years. Her art and teaching practices are rooted in self-expression, experimentation, process and joy. Materials play an integral role: saturated inks, luminous watercolours, rich acrylics, found objects, and natural resources speak to her and find their voice in her works. Compositions are captured in an abstract manner. Nancy advocates for art in the community, facilitating accessible, playful, and process-based art workshops in the Hamilton area, including Dundas Valley School of the Art and Art Gallery of Hamilton. She was nominated for the City of Hamilton Art Educator award and co-recipient of the City of Hamilton Arts Champion for her podcast “ArtToGo.” Among other spaces, her work has been shown at the Art Gallery of Hamilton, Riverdale Art Walk, Supercrawl and has work in private collections in Canada, the US, and the UK.