NANETTE FLUHR

ARTIST BIO

Nanette Fluhr's paintings bridge centuries, blending Old Master techniques with contemporary realism to reveal timeless human character. With over three decades of professional experience, she creates oil portraits that feel both intimate and enduring. Her work is rooted in a deep commitment to capturing the quiet truth of her subjects, honoring both likeness and inner character.

Her work has been exhibited in major museums including the European Museum of Modern Art in Barcelona, the Butler Institute of American Art, the Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art, the Reading Public Museum, and the New Salem Museum and Academy of Fine Art. She was also selected for Contemporary American Realism, a landmark exhibition that toured six national museums in China. Her paintings have been sold at Sotheby's and are permanently archived in the Lunar Codex, a time capsule launched on NASA‑partnered missions to the moon.

Nanette has received awards from the Art Renewal Center, the Portrait Society of America, BoldBrush, the School of Visual Arts, and The Artist's Magazine. She received the HerStory Award and Outstanding Woman Artist Achievement Award from Manhattan Arts International, the Distinguished Achievement Award from American Women Artists, and numerous honors from Allied Artists of America and the Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club.

A graduate of Rutgers University and the School of Visual Arts, Nanette studied with John Frederick Murray, who instilled in her the principles of the Old Masters. As a registered copyist at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, she painted master copies by Rembrandt, Rubens, Velázquez, Van Dyck, Lawrence, and Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun. She shares her knowledge as a sought‑after instructor and donates a portion of her portrait commissions to Smile Train, supporting life‑changing cleft surgeries for children worldwide.


ARTIST STATEMENT

Representational portraiture is my life's pursuit. The challenge of capturing not just a faithful likeness, but the essence of who someone truly is, compels me every time I stand at my easel. I approach each painting as an opportunity to discover and honor the truth of an individual's character.

I draw my inspiration from the Old Masters such as Rembrandt, Ingres, Bouguereau, and Vigée Le Brun, as well as John Singer Sargent. Guided by their principles, handed down to me by my mentor John Frederick Murray, I aspire to the high standards they established. As a Registered Copyist at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, I studied these masters with the depth and focus they deserve.

My clients often tell me their portraits are among their most treasured possessions, bringing smiles to their faces for years to come. These words affirm that my work creates something enduring, a gift that will be passed down through generations as part of a family's legacy. I feel privileged that my talent brings joy to others.

I also give back through my work with Smile Train, the world's largest organization dedicated to repairing cleft palates. For every portrait commission, I donate a portion of my fee to fund a cleft palate surgery, transforming lives one smile at a time.