About Me

Though I am still a Northwesterner at heart, I now live in beautiful, historic, semi-rural New England. Not far from Boston, I am able to partake of big city life, as well. I do love the Northeast, but miss the Northwest. I moved here for love, so I am staying.

I earned a Master's degree in art with a concentration in drawing and have taught art at the university and college level as well as to young children and seniors. My teaching style is one which focuses on guidance and support as well as perfection of technique. One of my passions is helping people see things in new ways.

After noticing a huge need, I also spent many years raising money as a professional, for both the arts and for higher education. Since moving to New England I have returned to my roots and enjoy sharing my creativity with others as a high-end floral designer and window box and garden stylist.

Fairies & Fairy Houses

Creating whimsical fairy houses in the woods is somewhat of a tradition in the Northeast, especially Maine and Vermont. Using tree stumps, mosses, twigs, acorns and other natural materials, children (and adults, too) fashion little dwellings, hoping...

A Floral Design Career

For many years I worked in a flower shop where our customers were able to walk through the design room as we were working. It was exciting for them to see what we were doing and we frequently heard comments like, "That must be so much fun." "You are...

Vacationing in St. John, US Virgin Islands

With white sandy beaches, aqua blue water and a low-key pace, the US Virgin Islands (USVI) are a great place to visit to wind down and rejuvenate. With US citizenship, travel to the islands is easy (no passport required) and if you are on the East Co...

The Beautiful Oregon Coast

So much of the Oregon coastline is public property. There are high, basalt rock cliffs, long sandy beaches and awesome tide pools. You will see colonies of Sea Lions on the rocks, whales spouting off and breaching in the distance and beautiful sunset...

Maple Syrup: The Real Thing

When the weather starts to warm up in the spring in New England and Canada, and the nights remain cold, its time to collect sap from the Sugar Maple trees. Once collected, it is boiled down into "liquid gold". Maple Syrup has a unique taste and havi...

The Power of Kindness

"Be kind to everyone you meet. They all carry a heavy load." -- Elton Graham, my grandfather. I learned a lot about kindness from my grandparents. Grandpa Graham was the sweetest man. Chickadees would land on his arms and shoulders while he was outs...

Portland, Oregon

Portland, Oregon is a very hip city. Located on the Columbia River, which divides Oregon and Washington, it comes up frequently on the "best places to live" lists, most recently as #1 in the Men's Journal. Friendly, laid-back people, healthy living,...

Nancy Jo Graham

Welcome! I am a practicing artist and a teacher with a Master's degree in drawing & painting. Here is a sampling of the art which I create. It is my hope that this work will move you, inspire you or communicate with you in some positive way. The piec...

Migraine: Not Just a Headache

Migraine is an often misunderstood disease. It is not a headache, but a whole-body disease which may not even include a headache. A neurological disease, migraine can make it difficult to follow through on daily activities and can even increase your...

Wedding Flowers

An experienced wedding flower consultant, I offer "insider" suggestions for choosing your flowers and working with a professional florist. Ordering wedding flowers is not something one does frequently and even a little bit of knowledge and prep work...

Expert Tips For Ordering Flowers

Are you getting ready to order some flowers? Over 10 years of experience as a high-end floral designer has helped me to put these suggestions together for you. Read on for some tips to make sure you receive high-quality, beautiful flowers every time...

Central & Southeastern Oregon

Having lived in the beautiful and varied state of Oregon for 20 years, I have many favorite places. Here I talk about some of them in the McKENZIE RIVER area, CENTRAL OREGON and SOUTHEASTERN OREGON. From where I lived in Eugene, I could drive up the...

The Bounty of Oregon Foods

Oregon has a wealth of some pretty fabulous regional foods. The Mediterranean-like climate with moderate year-round temperatures and the health conscious population of many Oregon communities combine for yummy results. Here are some of my favorite O...

Eugene, Oregon

Do you ever feel like going back to the 60's? Well you can do that in Eugene. Sort of. Of course, there is more to this Northwest city than that, but it is part of what makes it so charming. Do you wonder about the raindrop photo? Well...it rains al...

Everything Flowery

I am always looking for unique and interesting flower-themed items. As a floral designer, you might think I would tire of it, but when I travel I am always checking out other flower shops for ideas. If I am in a large city--Montreal is one of my favo...

My Favorite Inspirations

As an artist, there are many things that have inspired me in my work and in my life. Here are a few. This is a picture of one of my favorite inspirations: my beautiful, little niece, Ellie. Thanks for stopping by the lens I have created which, along...