Greetings from the Queen City
Welcome to my whimsical world where watercolor meets wildlife and other wonders. I’m glad to have you here.
Why Watercolor
Watercolor was introduced into my life by a skilled professor and artist, Margaret Voelker-Ferrier. She must be named as the one who provided me with the tools, skills, and confidence to try my hand at watercolor. I attended her classes as a student at the University of Cincinnati while working on a Bachelor’s of Science in Fashion Design at the college of DAAP.
Artistic expression and a love for animals and wildlife was always fostered in my family. Therefore, I must proudly acknowledge my parents and five siblings for the creativity that we share as well as the curiosity and empathy for animals that was encouraged since my earliest years.
Watercolor painting forces one to pause, appreciate, and study the natural world. This is what I truly love about the practice. I hope my work will encourage others to experience the wilderness, respect all forms of life, and cherish the relationship humans have with animals, each other, and our inspiring Earth.
A Little Personal
When I’m not painting, you’ll find me with my ultra-running husband, Chad, our sweet son, Casper, and our most affectionate dog, Cyndal. She is my logo. (See logo story below.) Our family enjoys exploring our hometown of Cincinnati as well as traveling abroad when opportunities arise. We are unapologetically true mid westerners.
My Logo
Cyndal - my sweet girl. She entered my life in 2012 and immediately became my closest companion. She has hiked all over the United States, from the coast of Maine, to the Southwest cities of Taos and Santa Fe, and all the way north to the Tetons in Wyoming. My logo was created from a painting of Chad and Cyndal exploring the beach in Kiawah Island, South Carolina. She still travels with us to enjoy Kiawah’s coastal views every year.
Cyndal and I met thanks to a rescue shelter (Operation Kindness) in Dallas, Texas. Abby Nurre Watercolor started originally as Cards for Canines, a greeting card business designed to celebrate our favorite animal companions and give back to the rescue shelters that make a real difference in animal welfare. Cyndal was the direct inspiration, and pet portraits were my focus.
While I may have ventured into other subjects, celebrating the relationship that we humans have with our animal companions is still at the core of my work. Thanks to my sweet Cyndal, I know the love and constant presence they bring to life. For this reason, pet portraits remain one of my favorite subjects to paint, and I will always use my work to support animal shelters and conservation initiatives.
Thank you for visiting my site. Never hesitate to reach out with anything — a story, question, idea, collaboration, etc.
I'll leave you with some adorable photos of Cyndal.
