A Window To Hackney: Meet Natalie

A Window To Hackney: Meet Natalie

Natalie is a local East London artist, musician, photographer, and yoga and sound therapist. All of her practices are centred around the therapeutic benefits of creative self expression and she often runs workshops to share these practices with those who may not feel connected to creative arts. She loves spending time in nature, experimenting with new forms of creativity, and exploring new places with friends.

So…who are you? 

I’m a London born and raised Greek Cypriot and Indian woman who’s lived many lives in my 31 years here. Art for me is therapy and I began painting to help calm my nervous system after experiencing traumatic events and confronting difficult mental and physical health troubles some years ago. I’ve always been creative and don’t limit myself to the realms of paint and canvas. I am a musician, photographer, yoga practitioner and sound healer and I truly believe in the healing power of us all expressing our own unique creativity in the ways that come naturally to us. I love spending time with friends and being inspired by people’s ideas and passions. Nothing makes me happier than seeing others in their creative flow and getting excited about life.

Why do you create?

Creation for me has always been a way to bring balance and healing to my life. Whenever things have been tough or tumultuous it has offered me a way to safely express feelings and process complex emotions. I create to help others realise this potential in their own creative processes. We are all creative in some way and showing people this is important to me.

What kind of artist would you describe yourself as/what modality do you work with?

I’d say I’m an abstract artist and I like to experiment with different mediums and techniques. I mostly work with acrylic and canvas and I’m currently working on a series around womanhood using mixed media of collage, stitching, acrylic, and canvas.

The theme for the Kip Wall is ‘connection’, what does connection mean to you?

Connection is the key to existing. Through connecting and relating to others we learn about ourselves on a much deeper level than it is possible otherwise. Through connection we find love and joy. We can appreciate and have gratitude for the most simple and beautiful things. Connection also provides a secure and loving foundation to explore our inner worlds.

Breakfast of choice and why? 

Smoothie. No banana. Lots of maca. Always.

Tell us about the piece you created for Kip Wall… 

This piece was created using paint pouring techniques and I was playing with the blending of vibrant colours. We all have our own unique and bright expression and when we come together it creates a dance-like effect between energies. I wanted to capture the ever moving flow of these energies between people when they come together through a unified purpose or cause. The hands are collaged from the few good news stories that were published during the lockdown period that caused huge separation throughout the world. They are reaching up and out of the murky heavy mist that settled over us during that time.

Take us back to the first time you ‘created’ something, how did it feel/what was it?

Hard to tell really but what does stand out is the first time I tried painting as an adult. It felt different to making music and other forms of creating I was already doing. I went into a complete trance and lost myself for a time. When I stepped back to look at the finished piece I was shocked that I’d managed to create this thing. I also realised that I had completely entered a state of calm and peace through the process.

Would you like to see more from Natalie? Natalie’s work is being shown as part of an exhibition running throughout March. The Genesis Cinema Gallery will be taken over by 11 fantastic female-identifying artists to share their experience of womanhood through their art practices and offer up their identity and experiences of being a woman, in celebration of Women’s Month and International Women’s Day. Make sure to get down there to check it out at Genesis Cinema, 93-95 Mile End Rd, Bethnal Green, London E1 4UJ.