About Nancy

Nancy Illman spreads joy with her paintbrush. She has been painting on virtually every imaginable surface for almost her entire life, and taking children's ideas seriously for just about as long. A holistic healer and teacher, Nancy practices meditation, yoga, veganism, reiki, qi gong, aromatherapy and violin, and occasionally hosts retreats for grown ups who want briefly to immerse themselves in her lifestyle. Her supreme passion, however, is for empowering kids - through their collaboration with her as an artist - to realize their dreams upon the paintable surfaces of their bedrooms, bathrooms and playrooms. Some of her younger neighbors call her Rainbow Lady or fancynancypants.

If you happen to look her up on the internet, yes, this is the same Nancy Illman who graduated from Harvard, published in law journals, lived in six states, visited over a dozen countries and offers education in both gold leafing and the use of essential oils. These varied life adventures not only inform Nancy's artwork, but also enrich her relationships with clients. Nancy was trained in decorative painting at the Parsons School of Design in New York and has continued to develop her skills through decades of work, painting her clients' walls, ceilings, floors, columns and furniture. She is the mother of three boys, and wife to a brain scientist. She has a dog and a cat, who are each other's best friend. Nancy's hair color changes as often as some people change their shoes.