This spring, Cornish College of the Arts is proud to award Honorary Doctorate degrees to two extraordinary artists whose creative legacy has helped shape the Pacific Northwest arts community: Nancy Mee and Dennis Evans. Partners in life and in art for more than five decades, Nancy and Dennis have not only built influential bodies of work—they’ve built a life defined by curiosity, integrity, and a fearless commitment to making.

Dennis Evans grew up in Yakima, Washington, in a family and school system where art was nowhere to be found. After an early academic detour into chemistry and two years in the Marine Corps during Vietnam, he returned to Seattle to study fine art, earning his MFA from the University of Washington in 1975. His professional career launched directly out of graduate school when he began showing at the pioneering Linda Farris Gallery.

Nancy Mee arrived in Seattle in 1969 from Northern California to attend college and pursue her dream of being an artist—though at the time, she imagined she might become a fashion designer. Her artistic journey was shaped by an experimental program at UW and a foundational year studying with printmaker Stanley William Hayter in Paris. Upon returning to Seattle, she completed her BFA and spent the next several years developing her voice before joining the Linda Farris Gallery as well.

Defining a Practice

Though their paths converged early, their practices evolved in very different ways. Dennis’ career has traversed performance, installation, sculpture, and now painting inspired by quantum physics. He reflects, “I love my job. I work nine to five almost every day. I hate to stop working.” A true interdisciplinary artist, his work continues to explore the intersection of science and art.

Nancy’s process is more cyclical and intuitive. She works in intense, focused periods, often followed by time for reflection and renewal. Her large-scale sculptures combine delicate glass and forged metal, infused with deep conceptual rigor and personal mythology. “I do whatever I want,” she says. “I don’t have any concern whether it’s sellable or redundant. It’s just whatever I want it to be—which is, I think, being free.”

Both artists built successful careers without ever separating art from life. Their story is not just one of creativity, but of persistence—navigating a time when “selling your art” was equated with selling out. As Dennis puts it, “You’ve got to feed the cat. And when you’re self-employed, it really does matter.”

The Northwest and a Life in Community

While they have worked across mediums, both have remained deeply committed to the Pacific Northwest and its vibrant, generous arts community. Their extensive art collection, made up almost entirely of local artists, is as much about relationships as it is about aesthetics. “As we walk around our house,” Dennis says, “it’s filled with our friends and our family.”

Their connection to Cornish runs deep. Dennis has helped former students gain admission, including one who would go on to work with them for more than four decades. Nancy recalls a fateful encounter at the Cornish gallery with artist Casey Curran (’06 Alum, Art), which sparked an enduring friendship and collaboration. Their generosity of spirit and enthusiasm for emerging artists is palpable.

Words for the Next Generation of Artists

When it comes to advice for young creatives, Nancy and Dennis speak from hard-won wisdom. Nancy urges students to be prepared for life beyond the studio, sharing stories of the business-focused curriculum she once taught: “They had to get a business license, a tax number, write contracts, and learn how to document their work professionally.” Her candid motto? “Don’t get a dog. Marry your best friend. And spend less than you make.”

Dennis echoes that sentiment: “Everyone’s talented. The hard part is survival. If you don’t have a little business sense, it’s very difficult.”

At Cornish, where interdisciplinary exploration and creative independence are celebrated, Nancy Mee and Dennis Evans embody the values we hold dear. They have lived lives of art-making not as a profession, but as a way of being—resourceful, resilient, and profoundly inspiring.

Please join us on Thursday, April 17th for a special Artist Talk with Nancy Mee and Dennis Evans. This event offers a unique opportunity to hear directly from the artists about their creative journeys, influences, and the role of art in shaping culture. The event starts at 4:30 PM at the Raisbeck Auditorium (2017 Boren Ave.)

Written by Marvin Henderson