artbynatalya

The core of my art is deeply rooted in my Russian heritage and the architectural imagery of St. Petersburg and New York City, coupled with the use of recycled materials such as paper, plastics, and vintage fabrics. Computer photo manipulation, and intense hand and machine stitching, and translucent effects are the techniques I favor.

On heritage – My Russian heritage is very important to me, and it is of special importance to be passing it on to my children. I want to share my love of its folklore, decorative traditions and fairytales; I want to glorify these in my art; I am also passionate about St. Petersburg, and all it’s architecture: iconic churches, secular buildings, both new and fading. New York City, as my home base, has also become important to me. These two cities now provide me with endless creative inspirations.

On recycling – I feel guilty and sad when I see trash along the roads, read about the great plastic garbage patch in our oceans and about plastic bags contaminating our recycling. By using the hard-to-recycle materials such as plastic bags, plastic mesh bags and papers in my art, I feel that in a tiny way I am helping the environment and raising awareness of the problem. I also love vintage fabrics and use them liberally in my artwork. When the vintage cloth comes from a family member or a friend, it adds another layer of personal significance to my art. I strive to make all the recyclables in my art look like treasures, regardless of their origin. They must be undetectable in my work, transformed into something sophisticated and beautiful.

On my techniques – I love photography, being an amateur photographer is in my blood. Working on photographs in Photoshop enables me to transform the amateur photograph into a desirable element of my artwork. The sewing machine is one of my most important drawing tools, as are my hands - hand stitching is my favorite way of expressing myself and adding visual texture to almost all my art.

Exploring and marrying together of the disparate influences on my art – heritage and recycling – is my greatest challenge and my greatest pleasure. It is what drives me into my studio everyday.