Natalie K. Lewis: finding her inner child
Like children who are excited with a new box of crayons, my inner child finds it thrilling to play with new art materials whenever possible. My art is about the process of experimentation, not just the end result. The pleasure of losing myself in the work is so satisfying.
I have an art education degree, and my passion gave me the opportunity to nourish and encourage other people.
As an educator, I learned drawing, painting, sculpting, ceramics, jewelry, and various crafts. So, I don’t have a favorite medium; I appreciate all forms of art, including dance. More specifically, I trained for 15 years as a student of ballet, but that's a story for another time.
Art in Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC
Ages ago, I painted the insignia of a red hawk on my neighbor’s glider plane.
He went on to set the world record for distance and was honored by the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C. where his glider plane is displayed. The painting of a hawk wasn’t a masterpiece, but I am proud to be a part of aviation history.
Creative in different ways
Even when I wasn’t actively making art, I put my creative skills to use.
For example, I made posters for my children’s school activities, face painting, cardmaking, scrapbooking, decorating the interior of many houses, and photographing beautiful landscapes.
With the addition of 5 grandchildren in our family, we have art camp regularly at my house. I am passing along my art knowledge to them. I never get tired of watching their joy of completing a project.
Natalie's process
My process is a simple one; I just consider it "playing with the photo".
I sometimes start with a gelli plate background or some form of collage then add the photo to the background I have created. Then, I doodle or add a different eye or mouth as you can see above. I found this process was a great way to start a blank page and to get the creative juices flowing.
My materials vary: I do like paint pens and Sharpies. I don't limit myself when adding details to the photo. Sometimes I add a quote, but it's not always necessary.
Social media motivates Natalie
As I am a very visual person, Youtube, Pinterest, and Instagram are very motivating to me. It is amazing to have all that creativity at our fingertips. I enjoy sharing my work on the digital gallery of the internet.
It is wonderful to learn from the other artists and see women supporting each other’s endeavors. Some of my favorite women artist are Jane Davenport, Dyan Reaveley, Alisa Burke, Mary Beth Shaw, and Jenny Manno.
No matter what medium I am working in, it is all about color to me, and the brighter the better! Journaling and mixed media are my current obsessions, and magazine collage works well with both.
I am a big believer in do what you love. And to quote Philip Hicken - Art isn’t paint. It’s Love!
You can leave a message for me at the bottom of this blog post or find my art on Instagram @natkaycollection
If you would like to find your creative spark, here is an article that might be of help.
