ABOUT me, Nancy Freer dba

I was born and raised in Phoenix AZ. I went to Kenilworth Grade School, West High School, Phoenix Union Vocational Training Center, Maricopa Tech (now called Gateway), Northern AZ University and  graduated from AZ State University.

As soon as I was able to latch onto a crayon or marker, I 'decorated'  my world with color...drawing and painting on every surface around me.

After graduating from NAU & ASU with illustration degrees, I found my 'niche' and became a professional illustrator, cartoonist and caricature-artist  -- I became a party-artist as well as a studio artist, drawing caricatures LIVE at parties and events, as well as drawing caricatures from photos and custom illustration in my studio. 

 

For 15 years I was a freelance artist/cartoonist/novelty illustrator -- working from my studio in the back, creating novelty tshirt designs for the silk screen & AZ tourism industry, designing logos, flyers, backdrops for theatre productions and events, creating cartoons for print, publication and the web...and my hobby was river kayaking.

Well...somehow or another, my hobby became my career and I closed Studio ArtWorks to became a Amercian Canoe Association certified kayak instructor and opened Arizona's first Kayak School (Canyons & Coastlines Kayak School) and taught kayaksport through-out Arizona and the southwest -- for 11 years...

My students, clients, family and friends effectionately called me the CARTOONING-KAYAKER. I'd get off the river, rush home, clean up, grab my paper, easle and pens to draw caricatures for birthday parties, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, proms, grand openings...

In 2006, paddlesport insurance became unaffordable -- I closed Canyons & Coastlines Kayak School --I laid down my paddle and picked up my pens and paintbrushes and became NANCY KARTOON, artist entertainer.

The graphic arts industry had altered dramatically...desk-top computers and digital printing had changed the industry. My drawing and painting skills were easily translated into temporary tattoos and face painting. It's been a FUN & REWARDING experience to transform people into their favorite character and to decorate and paint people as living canvases!

Fireworks go off for me when a child smiles into the mirror and exclaims "I AM SPIDERMAN!" and "I am a Fairy Princess" and "I...I am beautiful!"

Wow! How cool is that?   

          
I love watching that child, teen and adult when they look in the mirror and start to smile -- 
I have the BEST job in the universe! 

 

Thank You for visiting my website!