Flower Child

The daughter of renowned Missouri architect and artist E.J. Thias, Nancy Thias began painting “before I could write,” she says. Completely surrounded by natural beauty, the Thias’ contemporary home in Sunset Hills was her very first “art studio.”

“I would spend hours sitting outside beneath the trees, painting the flowers,” says Nancy. “People often ask me what artists I admire,” she adds, “and I tell them that, although I appreciate many different artists, I really am inspired by nature alone. I look to its beauty, form and color to create my designs. I feel that is what makes me truly original.”

Graduating from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1986 with a bachelor’s degree in Textile and Apparel Management, Nancy was the Lead Marketing Manager for Levi Strauss & Co. and went on to become the Senior Textile Designer for May Merchandising Company. In 2001, Nancy decided to “bloom where she was planted” and opened shop as Paper Petals™ Studio, specializing in surface, textile, print and pattern design, licensed fine art for reproduction and worldwide distribution and, of course, her signature stationery.

Her vibrant colors, contemporary patterns and playful designs have made Nancy’s floral art an enviable commodity. In fact, in 2006, Nancy received a call from Nancee Borgnine (yes, Ernest’s wife) asking her to showcase her stationery as part of the Celebrity Gift Bag at “The Night of 100 Stars Gala” at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Nancy’s boxed correspondence cards were included in the Gift Bag offered to the winners and announcers of the 78th Annual Academy Awards. You might also have glimpsed one of Nancy’s paintings on-screen in the major motion picture “Valentine’s Day.”

Working with a combination of computer-aided designs (CAD), watercolors, graphite, pen and ink, Nancy has recreated a stunning array of floral confections on paper, fabric and canvas.

“I design with my customer in mind,” says Nancy, “and everything I do is completely original. Every artist needs to have their own hand and be recognized for it. For me, it’s all about looking to nature; it has been my inspiration ever since I was a little girl.”

Indeed, from the soft yellow of a daffodil to the easy curve of its petal to the clean line of its stem, Nancy finds joy in flowers. “My grandmother, Florence, was a florist. She owned her own shop and greenhouse and had amazing gardens at her home. I spent a lot of time with her as a child. She taught me to appreciate the elegance and beauty of all kinds of plants, especially the delicate blooms. Painting nature was, well, just natural.”

Look for Paper Petals™ products locally at Paper and More, Art Mart Paperie, The Service Bureau, Byron Cade, Bowood Farms, and at Poppy in Columbia, Missouri.

RESOURCES:
Nancy Thias, designer, Paper Petals Studio, www.paperpetals.com