This quote by Paul Klee summarizes how I feel about my art. It should not only portray a person's appearance, but also their essence and spirit captured in a moment of stillness.

Some of my oil paintings are society-inspired, but most originate from my inner world and feelings. This is why women are appearing in most of my works, being no stranger to female emotions myself. In these pieces I love to paint a moment frozen in time, that moment when people slip inside a world of their own. That stillness gives it a sense of intimacy as they are then their truest self.

My aim is not only to paint the delicate features of the external person, but to try and capture the gentle, unseen presence and in that way evoke a sense of emotion and connection to the viewer. What is the woman in the painting thinking or feeling? How do I actually feel? They offer you a moment to stand still and connect with yourself and those around you.

Children also appear regularly in my work, their imagination and wonder is a source of delight for me. They don’t have masks to hide behind yet, the beauty in the way their eyes can light up and their complete innocence is an absolute joy to portray and share with the world. These paintings give you the chance to forget the sometimes harsh reality of adulthood and be filled with their pure energy.

Besides being drawn to the beauty in the human form and capturing pure emotions, I also pay special attention to the clothing or important objects. Lace is in particular a favorite of mine. It is almost a meditative experience to spend hours and hours on painting its intricate patterns. And hopefully the viewers are similarly entranced by the mesmerizing effect of tracing countless threads interweaving to create a visual symphony.

All in all, my art is for those who appreciate the tiniest details and have an eye for the truly finer things in life:
pureness, warmth, love and connection.

I am a contemporary realist painter based in the south of The Netherlands. In 2014 I obtained a degree in Classical Drawing, graduating top of my class. In the final three years of my training I specialized in drawing the live model and portraiture.  After leaving art school I started painting, first in acrylics, but I soon switched to oils. As a lover of the Dutch Old Masters such as Rembrandt and Vermeer, I follow the traditional oil painting techniques, starting with a monochrome under painting upon which I build the colours in several layers to create depth and textures. By using a limited colour palette I create a tranquil, harmonious atmosphere to emanate the stillness and serenity of the person portrayed.

I prefer to work on smooth surfaces to get the level of detail I'm after, so I either use masonite or aluminum panels (also known as diBond or Alupanel). When an idea comes to me I start with finding a model, clothes, objects and a location to take photos. Although I paint realistically, I don't replicate the photo reference exactly, I still add details or change things around while painting.

Thank you for browsing my website and being a part of my artistic journey.

~Natalie

Education:
2021: Masterclass Portrait and Fabrics by Svetlana Tartakovska
2008-2014: Classical Drawing IKO Academie in Hoogstraten, Belgium
2006-2008: Orientation course IKO Academie in Hoogstraten, Belgium

Accolades:
2022: selected for the ModPortrait 2021 Special Catalogue
2021: nominated for De Nederlandse Portretprijs (The Dutch Portrait Prize)
2021: selected for the ModPortrait 2020 Special Catalogue
2019: nominated for De Nederlandse Portretprijs (The Dutch Portrait Prize)
2014: graduated top of her class, subsequent exhibition in Stedelijk Museum Hoogstraten
2012: selected for KoMASK’s drawing competition ‘The Human Figure’ in Antwerp

Publications:

2022:
The Leonardo Guide, Arte Libre
ModPortrait 2021 catalogue, MEAM in collaboration with Arte Libre

2021:
The Leonardo Guide, Arte Libre
ModPortrait 2020 catalogue, MEAM in collaboration with Arte Libre
Dutch Portrait Prize catalogue

2019:
Dutch Portrait Prize catalogue