Native to the Pacific North West, Erica Nordean is an internationally known
painter recognized for her stunning depictions of horses and horse racing, as
well as haunting landscapes and vibrant still life.
At 18 Erica began her relationship with racehorses while attending school.
Working with horses throughout Washington, Erica was a fixture at such
lauded locales as Longacres and Emerald Downs, where she was an exercise
rider for various stables.
Throughout her college years, Erica says, “I was taking all the classes, but art
was all I liked. I finally decided in my late twenties that I really wanted to be an
artist.” Primarily self-taught, Erica has taken many courses at the prestigious
Pratt Fine Arts Center in Seattle, studying a variety of artistic styles. She says, “I
found out that drawing came so naturally.” In her mid thirties, and confidant
that she was on the right path, Erica embarked on her career as a professional
artist and never looked back.
Erica Nordeen’s art career took of in 1998 when she began showing at
Kirkland’s Gambados Gallery, where her paintings were enthusiastically
received. Since then, Erica says that as a painter, “It has been like a tunnel
where all the doors fly open.” Through her pure determination, and love of
shape and image that began early in life, she has adapted her love of horse
racing into a spectacular profession.
With a powerful presence in the horseracing world, Erica’s paintings have been
shown at Del Mar, Churchill Downs, Santa Anita, Hollywood Park, and Bay
Meadows racetracks. Her art hangs in galleries from Hawaii to Saratoga
Springs, New York. Most recently, Erica’s paintings have shown at the
prestigious Del Mar Thoroughbred Club where she was the 2010 featured
program artist.
“In a world of literal-minded racing painters and patrons, Nordean is
one who dares to flirt with the abstract. Her horses are unmistakably
horses, but they have a vibrant, native feel…” Jay Hovedy, Daily Racing
Form, 01/02/2003.
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