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An Artist Emerges
Natalie is my
brother David's daughter. He introduced her to art when she was
three. I should mention I come from an artistic family. Anyway,
his intro was simple: One day he drew a circle on a piece of
paper with a pencil and said, "Lets draw a face. I'll start and
we'll take turns. I think I'll begin by drawing an eye." Then it
was her turn and in time she would dictate when the "face" was
to her liking This simple beginning has led her to embrace all
art since then, including music.
She never stopped drawing and for awhile considered being a
fashion designer. While in her mid-teens I visited my family and
friends in Illinois as I do on occasion. Though I was a stranger
to her ("Uncle Fred in California") I knew of her interest in
the arts. I gave her a book that offered some of Kenneth
Patchen's paintings and "picture-poems" reproduced in full
color.
She would later say, "It became my bible. I carried it
everywhere." She carried it all the way to the Milwaukee
Institute Of Art And Design (MIAD) after already having a one
person art show in Mattoon, Illinois while still in high school.
She met another young artist at MIAD (Ben Floeter) whom in time
she would marry though maintaining her her maiden name.
I should mention that when she was sixteen she called to see if
she could spend the holidays with me in California. While she
was here I opened my library to her and after doing so it seemed
like she was always curled up in my "yellow reading chair"
reading a book. Before she left I gave her several books she
hadn't had a chance to read as a gift. I continue to add to her
library and like to think it has led her to be the writer she
is, though not yet thirty. As I mentioned, over the years she
has embraced all art forms though she has decided "painting" is
her first calling.
During the time Natalie Jo was working for her degree at MIAD
she also studied design at Parson's in NYC and took a summer
course in photography in Ireland. She is currently taking
pictures of every meal she eats (she is a vegetarian) and hopes
to do so for one full year. She has also videotaped a
documentary based on members of her family; and produced a
series of designer pillows (all hand-crafted) that are another
unique form of art as seen through her eyes.
In May of 2008 Natalie Jo will receive her MFA from RISD
(affiliated with Brown University) where she is studying design.
Upon graduation she hopes to teach at MIAD while focusing on her
paintings and writings. Welcome to the wonderous world of art
she has created and will continue to create for as long as she
can.
F.N. Wright
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