ARTIST & PROFESSIONAL BIOGRAPHY

Nancy Falconi
Artist | Photographer | Educator | Creative Facilitator

Nancy Falconi is a Canadian artist, photographer, educator and creative facilitator whose multidisciplinary practice brings together photography, drawing, painting and mixed media.

Her work is grounded in close observation of the natural world, particularly wildlife and the relationships between humans, animals and their environments. Photography remains the foundation of her art practice, while painting and mixed-media processes allow her to explore the emotional and visual qualities of what she encounters.

Nancy’s professional career spans more than two decades across photography, visual arts, education, human resources and organizational learning. This diverse background informs both her artistic practice and her approach to teaching and creative facilitation.

ARTIST & PHOTOGRAPHER

Nancy began her professional photography career in the early 2000s, developing work across commercial, editorial and fine-art photography.

From 2006–2014, she was a contributor to Getty Images, with hundreds of images represented across both Rights Managed and Royalty Free collections. Her photography has been licensed internationally for editorial, commercial and digital use.

Her published photography has appeared in publications and projects including Canadian Living, Today’s Parent, Yoga Journal, Entrepreneur, Organic Gardening and other national and international publications. Her commercial photography has been used by organizations and brands including Visa, Walmart, Purina, Xerox, Scholastic, McGraw Hill, NBC Universal, Weight Watchers, Google and others.

Her fine-art photography and mixed-media work has been exhibited in solo and group exhibitions throughout the Greater Toronto Area and has been included in private and permanent collections.

Blue heron photography art by Nancy Falconi, heronry

In 2019, Nancy was Artist in Residence at the Kortright Centre for Conservation, where she created a body of work inspired by the local wildlife and natural environment. Her residency also included photography forest walks, creative workshops, public demonstrations and discussions about photography and artistic process. Six works created during the residency were subsequently donated to the Kortright Centre’s permanent collection.

Her work has been exhibited through galleries, juried exhibitions, art fairs, photography festivals and community arts organizations, including the Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival, Northern Contemporary Gallery, Blue Mountain Foundation for the Arts, Richmond Hill Studio Tour and Art Gallery of Georgina.

EDUCATION & ARTISTIC STUDIES

  • ACADEMIC EDUCATION

    Nancy holds a Master of Industrial Relations and Human Resources (M.I.R.H.R.) from the University of Toronto and a B.A. (Honours) in Political Science and Labour Relations from York University.

  • VISUAL ARTS EDUCATION

    Her visual arts education includes a Certificate in Photographic Techniques from Humber College, where she graduated with honours, as well as extensive part-time studies at the Toronto School of Art in drawing, painting, watercolour, oil, acrylic, contemporary drawing and art installation.

    She has also completed specialized studies in Encaustic & Photography through the Centre for Photography at Woodstock and R&F Handmade Paints in New York, and Visual Storytelling Filmmaking with DSLR through Maine Media.

Her ongoing studio practice continues to incorporate photography, acrylic, encaustic, drawing, watercolour and mixed-media techniques.

TEACHING & CREATIVE FACILITATION

Nancy brings extensive experience teaching, facilitating and creating learning experiences for adults and diverse audiences. 

Early in her career, she taught human resources, organizational development and strategic HR planning at Seneca College and York University, and designed and delivered leadership,  team-building and organizational learning programs for professionals and organizations.

She has also been invited to speak and facilitate in photography, creativity and personal development settings, including photography clubs, women's business groups, educational and community organizations. Her presentations have included ideas from her work in the  book, Breakthrough! Inspirational strategies for an Audaciously Authentic Life, an Amazon best seller.

 

Since moving more fully into the visual arts, Nancy has taught more than 50 courses and workshops in photography, mixed media, painting, drawing and creative exploration through organizations including Toronto Botanical Garden, Town of Stouffville, Richmond Hill & Markham, and Mississauga Visual Arts.

Today, her creative teaching combines practical instruction with observation, exploration, and hands-on making, welcoming participants of all experience levels. She creates learning experiences that encourage people to try new techniques, develop their own ideas and see creative possibilities in their surroundings.

Nancy is also the creator of the Creative Heart™ Method, a framework for developing creativity through observation, play, exploration, creating, and self-expression.

SELECTED PROFESSIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

    • Freelance Photographer | 2002–present
    • Getty Images Contributor | 2006–2014
    • Artist in Residence, Kortright Centre for Conservation | 2019
    • Professor/Instructor, Seneca College & York University | 1999–2005
    • Featured Author, Breakthrough! Inspirational Strategies for an Audaciously Authentic Life | Amazon Bestseller | 2014
    • Juror, Richmond Hill Studio Tour | 2014
    • Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival, solo exhibition | 2023
    • Northern Contemporary Gallery, group exhibitions | 2025
    • Kortright Centre for Conservation, permanent collection | 2019
    • Winner, Mixed Media Category, Art Gallery of Georgina juried exhibition | 2011

CURRENT PRACTICE

FINE ART | CREATIVE LEARNING | CREATIVE EXPERIENCES

Today, Nancy’s work brings together three interconnected areas: fine art, creative learning and creative experiences.

Her artwork explores wildlife, nature, observation and the qualities of connection, presence and belonging that can emerge when we look more closely at the world around us.

Through teaching and creative facilitation, she creates opportunities for people to slow down, notice, experiment and express themselves creatively.

Her professional experience in both organizational learning and the arts allows her to work across creative, educational, community and corporate environments.

Artist · Photographer · Educator · Creative Facilitator

LET'S CONNECT

Interested in working together? Whether you’re exploring a corporate creative experience, a teaching or facilitation opportunity, or an art collaboration or project, choose the pathway that best describes what you’re looking for.