Nancy Josephson, a New York City native born in 1955, gave up a career as a musician to create art that embodies Haitian themes. A spiritual follower of Vodou, Josephson traveled to Haiti a dozen times in the past decade to prepare for her initiation as a Vodou priestess. LaSiren, who embodies the ocean's dual qualities of strength and serenity, is her "met tet," or "head" spirit.

Josephson sang and played bass with several well known bands in the 1970s, and her son Jake learned to walk on Arlo Guthrie's tour bus. But the strains of touring forced her to reconsider her career choice and she became a visual artist, partially because she could work by herself.

Josephson uses beads, mirrors, rhinestones, sequins and glue to create art from everyday objects in a style evocative of Haitian flags and banners. She is also a well-known ArtCar artist. Along with her husband, the guitarist David Bromberg, and daughter Ruth, Josephson moved in 2002 from Chicago to Wilmington, Delaware, recruited by the city to be catalysts for a downtown arts district.

(Above bio courtesy of the American Visionary Art Museum)

Born in NYC in 1955, Nancy Josephson has spent much of her life mining whimsical, beautiful and often controversial subjects. As an artist, author (Spirits in Sequins: Vodou Flags of Haiti) and musician Nancy traverses the world of spirits and secular. As a visual artist using sequins, beads and found objects Nancy fills empty space with beauty. As a musician Nancy uses words and voice to fill the air. She (like nature) abhors a vacuum.

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

2019 The Museum of Unnatural History, Shoreline, Washington, group exhibition curated by Anne Marie Grgich
2019 La Halle Saint Pierre Museum, Paris, France, Hey #4 group exhibition
2019 Blue Streak Gallery, Wilmington, Delaware, group exhibition
2019 Outsider Art Fair, Lindsay Gallery, New York City, New York
2018-2019 American Folk Art Museum, New York City, New York, Window exhibition
2018 Group exhibition, Gallery Two, New Orleans, La.
2017-2018 American Visionary Art Museum, Baltimore, Maryland, Roominous Installation
2017 Outsider Art Fair, Gallerie Beatrice Soulie, Paris, France
2016 Rebecca Hossack Gallery, London, England, Solo show
2016 Gallerie Beatrice Soulie, Paris, France, Group show
2016 Rebecca Hossack Gallery, New York, NY, Solo show
2016 Outsider Art Fair, Lindsay Gallery, New York, NY
2015 American Visionary Art Museum, Baltimore, Md., Big Hope Show
2014 Kasher/Potamkin Gallery, New York, NY, gallery artists group show
2014 Biggs Museum of Art, Dover, Delaware, Delaware Division of the Arts Grant Awards exhibit
2014 Lindsay Gallery, Columbus, Ohio, It’s Only Natural, two-person show
2014 LA Art Show, with Breeze Block Gallery, Los Angeles, California
2013 Judy Saslow Gallery, Chicago, Illinois, solo exhibition
2013 Outsider Art Fair, Judy Saslow Gallery, New York City, New York
2011-2012 Sculpture, Objects and Functional Art special exhibition: New York City, New York and Chicago, Illinois
2010-2011 American Visionary Art Museum, Baltimore, Maryland, What Makes Us Smile
2009-2010 Fowler Museum at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, Mami Wata: Water Spirits of Africa and the Diaspora traveling exhibit. Venues include Smithsonian Museum, Washington, DC.
2008 Solo exhibition, Judy Saslow Gallery, Chicago, Illinois
2006 American Visionary Art Museum, Baltimore, Maryland, Home and Beast Show
2006 Museum of Arts and Crafts, San Francisco, California, group show
2006 Solo exhibition, Judy Saslow Gallery, Chicago, Illinois
2005 Cremation Urn Show, Barrister’s Gallery, New Orleans,LA
2004 Holy H2O, American Visionary Art Museum, Baltimore,MD
2003 Delaware Center for Contemporary Art, Wilmington, DE
2003 Outsider Show, Puck Building, New York City, NY
2002 Musee d’Art Haitien, Contemporary Vodou Artists, Port-au-Prince, Haiti
2002 Museum of Craft and Folk Art, “Sirens and Snakes”, San Francisco, CA
2002 La Luz de Jesus Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2001 American Cultural Center, Cotonou, Republic of Benin
2000 Mobilia Gallery, Cambridge,Ma.
2000 Halle St. Pierre, “Princess Layer Cakes’ Vodou Boudoir, Paris France
1999 Waterloo Museum of Art, Waterloo, Iowa, one person show
1999 Judy A Saslow Gallery, “Princess Layer Cakes’ Vodou Boudoir, Chicago,Il.
1998 Outsider Show, Baltimore, Md.
1998 Muse Image Gallery, Santa Fe, N.M.
1997 Vanderbilt University, Nashville,Tn., Personal Icons
1997 Outsider Show, New York City, N.Y.
1996 Sculpture,Objects and Functional Art (SOFA) Show, Chicago,Il.
1996 Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago,Il, outdoor installation
1996 Northern Indiana Arts Association, Munster,In
1996 EIO Gallery, Cleveland,Oh.
1996 Aron Packer Gallery, Chicago,Il
1996 Bachelier-Cardonsky Gallery, Kent,Ct.
1995 Funk Art Gallery, Houston,Tx.
1995 The Orange Show Foundation, Houston,Tx.
1994 Bridges and Bodell Gallery, New York City,N.Y.
1994 Aron Packer Gallery, Chicago,Il.
1994 Trinity Arts Group Gallery, Atlanta,Ga.
1994 Transmission Gallery,Glasgow,Scotland
1994 Art Show at the Dog Show, Wichita,Ks.
1994 SACI Gallery, Florence, Italy
1993 Aron Packer Gallery, Chicago,Il.
1992 Sarratt Gallery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville,Tn.
1992 Galeria Mesa, Mesa,Az.
1992 Beret International Gallery, Chicago, Il.
1991 Artemisia Gallery, Chicago, Il.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS AND TELEVISION

2019 Raw Vision, issue 103 Women in Outsider Art, one of 50 listed with image
2015 Washington Post, November 19, 2015, View Here.
2015 Voice of American broadcast, View Here.
2015 Baltimore Jewish News, November 6, 2015 Arts and Life section, “20 Divine Years”
2015 City Paper, Baltimore, Md, Arts section, View Here.
2015 Baltimore Sun, October 4, Arts section, Big Hope Show feature with photo
2015 Savant Garde feature article, View Here.
2013 New York Times, October 24, Home section. “Duet for Violin and Voodoo”, first page story, 9 color photos
2007 Author of “Spirits in Sequins: The Sequined Flags of Haiti” for Schiffer Publishing
2004 Bomb Magazine, Dec.Issue,article on Haitian Sequined Flags
2003 Wilmington News Journal,Oct. 1, set design for Aida article
2001 Benin National Television,interview
1997 Art Cars, Ineri Foundation Book, 4 color plates
1997 The Nashville Banner Newspaper, Nashville,Tn., 2 color plates,page 1 Feb.27
1996 The Chicago Educator, Chicago,Il. Nov.4 issue
1996 United Airlines Sky Magazine, International Flights
1996 The Chicago Tribune Newspaper, Sept. 13, review
1996 Wild Chicago TV segment, Chicago,Il. January 21
1995 NBC Television, The Today Show, October 20
1995 WFLD News, Chicago,Il., Sept.30
1995 WLS News, Chicago,Il., Sept.30
1995 Car and Driver Magazine, August issue
1995 Raw Vision Magazine, summer issue
1995 Chicago Magazine, August issue
1994 The Chicago Reader, December 23 issue
1994 hyphen magazine
1994 Catalogue from Sarratt Gallery show, Vanderbilt University, color plate
1984 Fiberarts Magazine, July/August issue, 2 color plates
1984 Fiberarts Design Book II , color plate

SELECTED PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2019 Workshop Artist/Teacher, Beading in the Big Easy, New Orleans, Louisiana
2017 Workshop Artist/Teacher, Beading in the South of France, Durfort, France 2016 Workshop Artist/Teacher, “Mundane to Magical”, Hacienda Mosaico, Puerta Vallarta, Mexico
2013 Guest Lecture, “Vodou Flags”, Wheaton Arts and Culture Center, Millville, NJ
2013 Workshop Guest Artist, “Memory Jars”, American Visionary Art Museum, Baltimore, MD
2012 10ftx10ft Beaded Donor Wall, World Café Live at the Queen, Wilmington, DE
2012 Workshop Guest Artist, “Beads: Gluing stuff to other stuff”, American Visionary Art Museum, Baltimore, MD
2011 Workshop Guest Artist, American Visionary Art Museum, Baltimore, MD
2010 Workshop Guest Artist, Art Creation Foundation for Children, Jacmel, Haiti
2009 Guest Lecturer, Bead Society of New Jersey
2005 Workshop Guest Artist, American Visionary Art Museum, Baltimore, MD
2004 Guest Lecture, Towson University, Towson,MD
2003 Set Design for Opera Delaware, Aida
2003 Artist Lecture, Delaware College of Art and Design, Wilmington, DE
2002 Lectures and Workshops, Various Schools in Republic of Benin, West Africa
2002 Workshop, American Visionary Art Museum, Baltimore, MD
2001 Artist in Residence, Savannah College of Art and Design, Savannah, GE
2000 Guest Lecture, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin
1999 Artist Lecture, Amherst College, Amherst, Ma.
1998 Artist Lecture, School of the Art Institute, Chicago,Il.
1997 Artist in Residence, Atrium School, Watertown,Ma. School Bus Project
1996 Artist in Residence, Chicago Public Schools, The Bus Stop Project
1996 Curator and Organizer of the 1st Art Car Parade, Indianapolis,In.
1995 Curator of SOFA Show special exhibit, Chicago,Il.
1995 Curator and Organizer of the 1st Art Car and Anything That Rolls Parade,
Chicago,Il.
1994 Lecturer, University of Wisconsin, Madison,Wi.
1994 Lecturer, Academia Bella Artes, Florence,Itlay
1993 Lecturer, Studio Arts Center International, Florence,Italy
1993 Liason/Artist for the South Side Arts Partnership, Chicago,Il.
1991 Photographic assignment for the New York Post, Feb.13
1989 Lecturer, University of Chicago Laboratory School, Chicago,Il.
1989 Artist in Residence, Wm.H Ray Elementary School, Chicago,Il.
1988 Artist in Residence, University of Chicago Laboratory School, Chicago,Il.
1982 Co-curated gallery show, Linda Sage Gallery, Chicago,Il.
1982 Authored article for Come For To Sing Magazine, Volume 8

AFFILIATIONS

2016-2018 Rebecca Hossack Gallery, New York, NY, London, England
2015-present Koelsch Gallery, Houston Tx.
2014-2016 Melissa Morgan Fine Art, Palm Desert, Ca.
2014-2015 Kasher/Potamkin Gallery, New York, NY
2013-2015 Red Truck Gallery, New Orleans, La.
1999-2015 Judy A Saslow Gallery, Chicago, Il.
1996-1999 Joy Moos Gallery, Miami,Fl.
1993-1996 Aron Packer Gallery, Chicago,Il.
1993-1995 Artemisia Gallery, Chicago,Il.

GRANTS AND AWARDS

2015 Delaware Division of the Arts Opportunity Grant
2014 Delaware Division of the Arts Established Artist Grant
2000 Chicago Artist’s International Program, Travel Grant to Republic of Benin
1997 1st Prize Art Car, Houston Tx.
1996 Very Special Arts of Illinois, grant for Bus Stop Project
1995 City of Chicago Community Arts Assistance Program grant
1995 The Orange Show Foundation, Houston,Tx., grant
1993 City of Chicago Community Arts Assistance Program grant

SELECTED COLLECTIONS

Susan Sarandon, New York City, New York
Martin Guitar Museum, Nazareth, Pennsylvania
American Visionary Art Museum
Robin Williams, Los Angeles, California
Mr. Imagination, Chicago,Illinois
Bob Dylan, Los Angeles,California
Waterloo Museum of Art, Waterloo, Iowa
U.S Ambassador Bridgewater,Republic of Benin, West Africa

(Above bio and resumé from Nancy Josephson's website).