Innovative 3D “Peoplescapes” Filled with Detail, Symbolism and Humor
Nancy Calef, nancycalefgallery.com, creates innovative narratives on canvas, often combining painting, sculpture, and applied materials. Her 3D “Peoplescapes” address cultural, political, and spiritual issues facing society.
Nancy explains: “By juxtaposing people in recognizable places and situations each painting weaves together a story about contemporary life, filled with layers of detail, symbolism, and humor.”
Banner image: Detail of “Elephant in the Room”, oil, sculpture, fabric, found objects on canvas, 48″ x 60″
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. DO NOT REPRODUCE IMAGES WITHOUT THE ARTIST’S PERMISSION.
Fog of War, oil on canvas, 36″ x 48″
Most recently, one of Nancy’s paintings was selected for the international juried exhibition “The Uncivil Canvas – Art in the Age of Discord” at Woman Made Gallery in Chicago.
In 2026 Nancy received a First Place 2026 Art Collectors Choice Award for her painting “Downtown” and a 2nd place for her “Metro Underground.”
Her art was also curated into the Manhattan Arts International “HerStory” 2025 Invitational Exhibition and our “Love, Peace, Unity & Hope” 2025 Exhibition.
Nancy received a First Place 2025 World Art Award for her painting ‘Inevitability Line,” two awards from the South San Francisco Art Commission juried exhibition, and was selected for the juried online show “Pictures of People” presented by the De Young Museum of San Francisco.
Critic’s Wheel, oil, sculpture, fabric, acid free papers, wood on canvas, 24″ x 36″
Nancy’s work was included in “Food for Thought” an ongoing 2-year exhibition at The Randall Museum in San Francisco; Art Weasel- Artful Prize – International Juried Competition out of Bristol, England, Gallerium Art Prize group exhibition from Vancouver, Canada; The Beat Museum permanent collection in San Francisco; juried exhibition at Arc Gallery; solo and group exhibitions at the George Krevsky Gallery in San Francisco; Fusion Art Museum in NYC; and solo and group exhibitions at Live Worms Gallery in SF.
Games of Life, oil, sculpture, computer parts, found objects on canvas, 48″ x 66″
Nancy served as an artist panelist for two Horasis International Conferences based in New York, and Germany. Founded by Dr. Frank-Jürgen Richter, former director of the World Economic Forum, Horasis is committed to bringing together heads of states, business and social innovators to discuss and implement sustainable, principled leadership and efficient community.
No Free Lunch, oil, sculpture, fabric, acid free paper, found objects on canvas, 48″ x 48″
Nancy is the author of “Peoplescapes – My Story from Purging to Painting.” an illustrated memoir. Her art has been featured in many publications including Reed Magazine and is featured in “Not Normal: Art in the Age of Trump”, a book by Karen Gutfreund.
She is also featured in articles published on The Healing Power of ART & ARTISTS website, an initiative of Manhattan Arts International. One of them is “Creative and Eco-Conscious Artists Who Use Recycled Materials”. She also shared her story about healing through art in “Nancy Calef’s Healing “Peoplescapes” in which she states, “The universal language of art is an amazingly potent process…”
Y R U Killing Us, oil on canvas, 40″ x 30″
The internationally recognized artist lives in San Francisco, California. After completing Bronx HS of Science at age 15, she attended the College of New Rochelle to study painting and sculpture. She is also a certified computer animator.
Nancy has lived and traveled throughout the world while painting en plein air, to develop her painting style and “sharpen my understanding of the cultural and spiritual diversity of the world landscape.”
Nancy’s art also appears in these presentations on the Manhattan Arts International website:
“How Our Artist Members Bring Positive Change to the Worl”
“Artist Members Share Praise They Received for Their Art”
“Art With Faces and Figures by Artist Members and Master Artists”
“Artist Members Explain What Inspired Their Works of Art”
“Fascinating Facts About Artist Showcase Members”
Visit Nancy Calef’s website: nancycalefgallery.com
Dear Renee: We like the work of Nancy Calef. Can we learn about pricing – past, present, etc? Thanks very much.
Paul, please contact the artist directly to obtain that information. You’ll find more information about Nancy and her artwork on her website https://nancycalefgallery.com/. Please note, Manhattan Arts International does not engage in sales of artwork.