Between 1995 and 2005, Nancy experienced radical changes in her life and in her approach to the subjects of her art. Her work becomes darker, vibrant but brooding. Human and animal relationships are more deeply examined. The perspectives she offers are less overt and more enigmatic. She often replaces the humorous with the paradoxical and the disconcerting. “Despair,” one of seven paintings from her Allegory of the Seven Sins (1996), is an example.

The image here shows Nancy at her father’s grave, Christmas 1999.

Acrylic on canvas 26 x 46 in. Permanent Collection: Illinois State Museum, Springfield, Illinois

Of course, Nancy’s humor never left her. Here she is at the “The New Millennium” opening of the exhibition in Washington D.C.

Another mid-career work is her “Bird Room” of 2001. This was a beautifully constructed miniature Doric Temple that housed three hyperreal paintings. They are a rethinking of Victorian taxidermy and display of bird species. Though stunning, the entire experience was claustrophobic. Shown here is the entrance. The paintings are now part of the permanent collection of the Woodson Museum, Wausau, Wisconsin.

A story from Pablo Neruda that was Nancy’s statement for the “Bird Room.”

The year, 2002, was one of extensive travel for Nancy. She lived in Shanghai for two months as a Chicago art ambassador. Part of her sabbatical was to create works in response to the local culture. Here she is pictured on her balcony with two of her paintings.

Enjoying an after dinner cig.

Here she is shown with a group of women, most likely the family or attendance of the shaman.