Maple and Willow Painting

Bio Natalie Oswald is a Washington artist known for painting fantastical worlds filled with pattern, flora and fauna. She grew up in the wilderness of Idaho where the changing seasons and abundant interactions with nature informed her aesthetic. Later travels to Europe and Asia expanded her knowledge of painting and the decorative arts. Statement My work explores the connections between the decorative arts and the natural world. Motivated by the idea design is intrinsically related to forms found in nature, I create scenarios that highlight this connection. Hand-carved blocks are printed in repetitive patterns inspired by the long history of craft and functional arts, notably the Arts and Crafts Movement and textile designs from Asia. Surfaces filled with intricate pattern and lush colors provide the backdrop for birds, sea-life and flowers. At times I choose to revel in the decorative excess for pure visual pleasure. More often, I include these elements to provide context for my subject matter. The subtle connections between stylized patterns and traditionally rendered forms allow me to explore the various meanings of the subject matter I am compelled to paint. The cast of characters that come into my work include urchins, carp, octopi along with flowers and birds of all kinds. These subjects form a kind of cabinet of curiosities, each with their own specific meaning to me. Through them, I can explore a kaleidoscope of ideas such as love, beauty, death and longing.