Nancy Takenaga is a painter and designer based in North Carolina, creating work inspired by coastal landscapes and winding countryside. With over 40 years of experience working in oil, acrylic, watercolor, and gouache, her practice reflects a lifelong connection to painting.

She studied Graphic Design at Emory University and holds degrees in sociology, psychology, and philosophy—an academic foundation that brings a thoughtful, observational lens to her work. She is a member of the Fine Arts League of Cary and has had pieces featured in the Green Chair "Curated for a Cause" fundraiser in April and the May/June exhibition of the Cary Arts Center.

Her paintings often begin with photographs from a personal archive built over more than three decades of travel across the country. After ten years teaching students with special needs, she devoted many years to raising and homeschooling her children, serving on the director team of her homeschool co-op.

Now in a renewed chapter of her creative work, she has launched her own art and design business, centered on original paintings and the development of surface pattern designs for licensing. She also offers a small number of commissioned works, creating meaningful, one-of-a-kind pieces for collectors.