Nancy Mintz

Sculptor and Printmaker

Portland, Oregon

Nancy Mintz is a sculptor whose work speaks to the quiet intelligence of materials and the delicate memory of the natural world. With roots in California and a deep connection to the Pacific Northwest, she draws inspiration from the innate potential of her chosen media—ceramics, metals, wood, textiles, paper—each selected for its ability to hold meaning and evoke emotion.

Her current body of work explores biological communities and the transformations they undergo over time. Using fine brass wire like a drawn line, Mintz creates gestural frameworks that she then layers with Japanese paper, resulting in translucent, husk-like forms that feel both ephemeral and grounded. These organic structures echo remnants left behind in nature—pods, shells, and empty vessels—reminding us of the cyclical beauty of life and decay.

Nancy holds a BFA from California College of the Arts and an MFA from Mills College. Her work has been exhibited at institutions including the Kala Art Institute, California Craft Museum, Bolinas Museum, and the Riverside Museum of Art. Now based in Portland, she continues to explore the intersection of memory, material, and transformation.