Gwen Nagel began oil painting as a teenager, her passion grew, leading her to attend University of Minnesota studying art. However, life lead her else where and she began studying English instead, later earning her Ph.D. in English at Tufts University. For years she taught writing and literature at Harvard, Tufts, University of Georgia and others. That was until 1997 when she decided to pursue art full time, since then she has studied pastels, oils and watercolors with many well known artists such as Frank Webb. Gwen is a founding member of Plein Air Painters of the South East and was once president, she is still a member of Southeastern Pastel Society and Oil Painters of America. 

Gwen "creates paintings to capture a sense of place, to preserve a vulnerable landscape, to record the quality of light, and to spend time with other artists in beautiful places."