(1955– )

Nancy Josephson

Nancy Josephson, a New York City native born in 1955, gave up a career as a musician to create art that embodies Haitian themes. A spiritual follower of Vodou, Josephson traveled to Haiti a dozen times in the past decade to prepare for her initiation as a Vodou priestess. LaSiren, who embodies the ocean's dual qualities of strength and serenity, is her "met tet," or "head" spirit.

Josephson sang and played bass with several well known bands in the 1970s, and her son Jake learned to walk on Arlo Guthrie's tour bus. But the strains of touring forced her to reconsider her career choice and she became a visual artist, partially because she could work by herself.

Josephson uses beads, mirrors, rhinestones, sequins and glue to create art from everyday objects in a style evocative of Haitian flags and banners. She is also a well-known ArtCar artist. Along with her husband, the guitarist David Bromberg, and daughter Ruth, Josephson moved in 2002 from Chicago to Wilmington, Delaware, recruited by the city to be catalysts for a downtown arts district.

Links: For more on Nancy Josephson & her work, visit http://www.bigideerdesigns.com/