Summer 2026 art by Nancy Panganiban, including the cover art, Miao Dao
Miao Dao
In 2018, Joyce Carol Oates brought us the short story about a girl named Mia, “Miao Dao”, as part of her Dark Corners Collection. The story lodged itself in Nancy Panganiban’s head and in 2019 she painted Miao Dao to include in her solo exhibit entitled Shape Shifters, held at the Alter Egos gallery in Boise, Idaho. The vibrant colors characteristic of Panganiban, and her fantastic take on natural biological forms, give us a Mia that is surrounded by a luscious growth of flowering plants, mushrooms, and insect-trapping pitcher plants. Mia and her feral cat are depicted as nearly blending into one being, the cat’s intense gaze hinting at the hunt to come. We’re delighted to feature Miao Dao on the cover of this season’s Lemonwood Quarterly!
The story stayed with me…and painting it felt cathartic.
— Nancy Panganiban
Nancy Panganiban is the Arts Editor for The Lemonwood Quarterly. She is primarily a painter and produces artwork that examines the natural world and its inhabitants, as well as our connection or disconnection to it. Starting in high school and throughout her college years and beyond, Nancy has focused on the natural sciences —especially geology and paleontology, the visual arts, and the fascinating intersection of the two realms.
Originally from Madison, Wisconsin, Nancy encountered a thriving art scene when she moved to Boise. Nancy has participated in over 30 group shows and has had two solo shows, the latest in 2023 featured 40 paintings. She has also been active in local arts organizations, including Treasure Valley Artist Alliance, Boise Open Studios, and Swell Artist Collective. More of Nancy’s fabulous creations can be found on her website Art by Nancy Panganiban. In addition to providing the art for this issue, Nancy’s painting, Pollen Nation, appeared on the cover of the Spring 2025 issue of The Lemonwood Quarterly and the title page art for all the stories in the Spring 2025 issue was created from details taken from that same very large and intricate mandala painting.
More Nancy Panganiban artwork in this issue:
