Artist statement

"My purpose in portraiture art is to capture the true personality of the subject.  The magic begins when the subject releases the conscientious act of posing, and softens into a more relaxed state of just being.  My approach is to highlight the beauty of the subject first and foremost, and to allow artistic technique to show secondarily.

"The drawings I create begin with construction lines drawn in colored and/or pastel pencils.  These lines usually remain in the periphery of the final work, and are accompanied by deliberate outlines that serve as graphic design elements.  As the viewer’s eye travels to the hair and face of the subject, the hand of the artist fades away and the character of the subject emerges as soft forms.  The muted colors invoke a dreamy, timeless feel, much like the memories of those we hold dear.  

"My oil portraits are also a blended technique of paint application which transitions from looser brushstrokes and lost edges, to realistic, smoother glazes in the most important area - the face.  The colors sing vibrantly in selected areas where the light illuminates the subject and his environment.  The unveiling of a loved one’s portrait is a momentous occasion that sometimes elicits a joyful tear.

"My work is my personal expression of gratitude to my Creator."

 

exhibitions

Will Vawter Art Exhibition - 2018
Hoosier Salon 93rd Annual Exhibition - 2017
Sullivan Munce Artist Group Show - 2017
Hoosier Salon 91st Annual Exhibition - 2015
Solo Show at Greenfield Banking Company - 2015
The Nobbe Show, featuring Connie Nobbe and Susie Nobbe, Art on the Square Gallery, Greensburg, Indiana - October 2013
Solo Show at Indianapolis Art Center Fall Open House - 2008
Indianapolis Art Center Annual Student Show - 2007
CPSA Midwest Color Exhibition, Mt. Clemens, Michigan - 2004
CPSA 11th Annual International Exhibition, Brea/Los Angeles, California - 2003
CPSA Eighth Annual International Exhibition, Birmingham, Michigan - 2000
CPSA Chicago District Chapter 103 Exhibition, Hinsdale, Illinois - 2000
Indianapolis Art Center Annual Student Show - 1999

honors

Second Place; Will Vawter Art Exhibition - 2018
Fourth Place in the "Commissioned Portrait" category; Portrait Society of America Members-Only Show - 2017
Finalist in the "Outside the Box" category; Portrait Society of America Members-Only Show - 2016
Best of Show-Adult Division; Indianapolis Art Center Annual Student Show - 2007
Billie Cothran Award for Merit in Portraiture; Indianapolis Art Center Annual Student Show - 2007
Second Place; Midwest Color Exhibition, Mt. Clemens, Michigan - 2004
Best of Show; "From My Perspective" 4th Annual Member Show - 2003
CPSA DC 101 Award For Excellence; 11th Annual Exhibition, Brea/Los Angeles, California - 2003
Best Drawing-Adult Division; Indianapolis Art Center Annual Student Show - 1999

Affiliations

  • Oil Painters of America
  • Portrait Society of America
  • Hoosier Salon
  • Indiana Artists
 

About

Born and raised in Greensburg, Indiana, Connie Hargitt Nobbe (pronounced NAH-bee) was first inspired artistically by her mother, who would paint in oils on canvas many afternoons in the kitchen. Connie went on to receive a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Graphic Design from Ball State University in 1987. After one year working as a production artist for a large sportswear silkscreening corporation, and four years working as a designer/illustrator for a fine papers company, significant life events inspired Connie to venture into a career in nursing. However, she never abandoned her artistic endeavors.

Connie has continued to pursue excellence in draftsmanship through classes, workshops, art competitions, conventions, and open studios. She has taken classes at the Indianapolis Art Center and workshops with artists Dan Gerhartz, Michelle Dunaway, Qiang Huang, Mark Boedges, and Carol Marine. Connections in both the art world and the medical world have led to portrait commissions for individual clients and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum.

With her long career of caring for those who are facing the toughest struggles of their lives, she has a deeply ingrained appreciation for the human experience which, in turn, fuels her passion for portraiture and narrative figurative art.  She also loves painting still life and landscapes in oils or dry media. Her work has won local, regional, and national awards. Connie now resides in Brownsburg, Indiana.