Natalie

Ever since Natalie first picked up a pencil and vowed to draw the perfect horse, art has been an enormous part of her life. Over the years, Natalie has turned her hand to everything from jewellery-making and crochet, to painting and teaching art to adults and children.

Natalie may hail from small town Minnesota, but her passion for art has taken her around the world, to iconic art cities like London, Venice and Florence, as well as into the hallowed halls of some of the art world’s most esteemed academic institutions.

Having obtained a degree in Heritage and Museum studies, Studio Art and Art History, Natalie spent time in Florence, completing several internships, including a coveted position at Museo Novecento, a contemporary art museum located in the beating heart of the Renaissance movement.

Next, Natalie completed a Masters in Contemporary Art at Sotheby’s Institute of Art. Alongside writing her dissertation, she worked at a number of London universities, collaborating with artists and curators.

Natalie’s favourite part of working at Enter Gallery is getting to talk about art all day long. She tells us: “I love seeing people connect to pieces, and then chatting to them about how it makes them feel.”

If you could go back in time and hang out with artists from any artistic movement, who would you choose and why?

“I’d hang out with Georgia O’Keefe and Alfred Steiglitz because they paved the way for the art world as we know it. He was one of the first to do abstract photography, and owned a gallery in New York just as the city was establishing itself as a leading art destination. Both of them lived and breathed their work – they’d be able to teach me so much about art and about life.”

What would you steal in a high stakes art heist?

“I saw Angie by Alexandra Bircken at the Venice Biennale, and I’ve thought about it almost every day since. I love the artist’s use of red fabric, because it always dyes your hands as you knit it, weave it, sew it or crochet it. I’ve always loved texture and yarn and what people can make with their hands, so if I could steal one piece and put it in my home it would be this.”

If you could emulate the style of an artist, who would it be?

“I’ve been reading a lot about American video artist, Bill Viola, recently, who makes the most unusual stuff. I love his use of video, music and sound, and his exploration of religion and psychology.”

Why do you think art is important?

“This is an impossible question! Art is non-verbal communication that connects you with your surroundings. It’s how you express yourself, whether that’s via what you wear or what you have in your home. I’ve always been fascinated by how people create art and the thought processes behind it, and love how you can see the evolution of the human mind via the art that has been created over the years. Art tells us so much about the psychology and sociology of the time. To me it’s everything!”

Who is an artist you think is one-to-watch?

“There are so many artists at Enter Gallery that have huge potential but the most recent to have caught my eye is Dan Faine. I love his approach to his art, and how he brings forth old artworks, using them as a colour palette for each of his contemporary pieces.”