Artwork copyright Nancy Mee. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, 2010.

Artwork copyright Nancy Mee. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, 2010.

Artwork copyright Nancy Mee. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, 2023.

Braced Spine, 1989

Nancy Mee
(American, born 1951)

Location: Washington State Arts Commission, Cheney

ABOUT THE ARTWORK

Nancy Mee's Braced Spine is a sculpture made of glass, stainless steel, and photography. A portrait of a modest woman in the style of the European Renaissance (1300-1700) is set into glass at the top of the sculpture. Mee originally studied printmaking in university. The only hints of this background are found in her innovative use of photographic images within her sculptures, such as this one.

This artwork was acquired for the State Art Collection in partnership with Eastern Washington University.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Seattle-based artist Nancy Mee creates sculptures in a variety of materials, including glass, welded and forged steel, bronze, stone, and photography. Her art often reinterprets European classical themes and stories.

Born in Oakland, California, Nancy Mee earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in printmaking from the University of Washington in Seattle. Her 1984 artist residency at the Pilchuck Glass School in Stanwood, Northwestern Washington greatly influenced her art. She experimented with fusing and slumping glass, which led her to new forms and larger creations. Her art is in many collections, including Tacoma Art Museum, Seattle Art Museum, and the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento, California.