Another city for a change – yep – Lady Liberty went San Francisco ;)
I guess I have a crush on Flat Iron Buildings – we have a tiny one here in Jersey City too – I think it is time to add that one to my J.C. Canvas Collection :)
Have an amazing day
A new canvas is done- I call it “Witnessed” . It shows the Stanley Theatre on the right – a very beautiful theater here in Jersey City- right across another beautiful one- the Loew’s Theatre.
As the story goes the theatre was terribly neglected and falling apart, until it was purchased by Jehovah’s Witnesses. Loads of volunteers worked on brining it back to old time glory- and I heard it looks beautiful inside.
I find it fascinating how a building can be saved and used for something else as it was intended when it was built. It reminds me on the many discussions if it is ok to use a church that falls apart and turn it into an apartment building. I am glad this building is still here and I stopped when I walked by and enjoyed and witnessed it’s outside beauty.
Do you have a building in your neighbor hood that was turned into something surprisingly?
I used Acrylic Paints, Inks, Markers and Spray Paints, as well as some water-soluble wax bars – and some collage items. Here is a list
Have a wonderful day!
Your paintings are so cool Nat! I love the strong colours and the black details!
This is a gorgeous painting – I love your colorful paintings of buildings/cityscapes!
Not in my neighborhood, but in the historical part of my home town, there are old cottage homes that are now little stores that sell vintage and antique goodies or homemade cup cakes etc. It is always fun to stroll their sidewalks and shop till you drop!
It’s an amazing building and I am so happy it’s in your neighborhood and you painted it so beautifully!
Really beautiful.
Not in my neighborhood, but I have been in a small church that was made into an art museum. It was nice and I do consider art to be very spiritual (in many cases).
CREATE New Jersey was so much fun! I had a great time teaching three days- here are some photos of my classes :
Had a great time with my 20 students in the Texture Heaven Art Journal Class, mono printing, stamping, embossing – playing
So many beautiful pages – and everyone was quite busy experimenting
Loads of Acrylic Paint was used during all the classes
And of course every class had to opened with a funny face of mine ;) – here the “It’s All About The Layers – Art Journaling Class”
My sweet students were able to get over those faces and made beautiful art journal backgrounds and pages in this day long class…even with a broken a/c and 90 Degrees in the room …
It was wonderful to get to know so many of my students during the three days and also see how they were connected, some made friends during the class, some have been friends for many years (college room mates, being in the same guild) or mother and daughter, siblings together on a fun creative outing :)
And it was wonderful to see my stamps and stencils used by my super talented students.
Lot’s of wonderful smiles in my class – you girls were awesome!
The last class I taught saturday night was not “Walk like a zombie” as this picture might indicate …rather “Texture Galore Canvas” and loads of texture we created :)
It was a small class with 12 students which was fun …it gives me more time to walk around and talk to students ;)
and they had quite some exercise going back and forth between demos
And it was also fun to have a special student in the class ;) you would think she was sick of me spending so much time with me ….and yes…she behaved and was a great student ;)
I also took some classes and had an amazing time in Natalya Aikens class, where I learned how to manipulate photos in photoshop and then print them out on all kinds of different fabrics, like organza, silk etc. Super inspiring and totally out of my usual scheme …I mean fabric…hello!
And I took a class with Diana Trout – love her -what a great personality and it was fun to be forced outside of my usual box in my art journal and collaging approach. That is btw the reason why EVERY person who teaches should once in a while take some classes …it is good to be in the student’s shoes and see how this feels.
And it was fun to bump into my legendary artist friend Suze Weinberg at the Artist Faire at the event
and as mentioned I enjoyed every single minute and all 500.000 meals (or so it felt) at the hotel in which we were trapped without a car with Julie Fei Fan Balzer
I am looking forward to my next CREATE events I teach at in Dallas – September 17-21
and in Seattle October 22-26
I hope to see some of you there – I promise we will have loads of fun !!!
Have a gorgeous day
Forgot to login before posting above. Hope to take another class in the future!!
Nathalie,
I sat right next to Maura (who I so enjoyed spending time with!!) and I feel the same way. Really loved the class, the chance to meet and play with all kinds of fun art materials. I am glad you posted pictures and thanks for all the ideas and inspiration!
Nathalie,
It was so FAB to meet you in person!!! That alone made my create experience the best! I had so much fun in your class learning about acrylic paints, which I really had not done much with, but am inspired to do more. (Even bought more supplies and paint colors to play with) thank you, thank you for a wonderful class, and for sharing your talent with us!!
I love that pic of you and Julie with Suze, did you all call each other and decide to dress in the same colors? ha ha
Gorgeous art journal pages. It seems like I’m working in my art journal way more than making LO’s these days.
I thought I would show you some of the abstract texture canvases that were samples for my Acrylics Demystified Workshop using all kinds of Liquitex Acrylics in NYC last month. The are all just 6×6 and really love how they turned out.
and lastly a very vibrant one that means summer to me :)
It is so much fun to play with all those different acrylics out there!
I am thinking of turning this into an online class- would you be interested in this?
have a gorgeous day
I’d love an online class in abstract acrylics textures. As with others, it depends on the price and I’m still working my way thru other online classes – so maybe 2015 would work better for me. Love your canvases!
yes yes yes. I love the texture and especially the last one!!! Love it!
Yes, I would be VERY INTERESTED in on line texture class!
so long, linn
greats textures and rich colors ! of course i would love online class it depends price of materials and lesson my budget is a senior one!…
Of course! All depends i it is a different content than the uberacrylic!…also depends on price, as my budget is a senior one!…
great work! would LOVE this as an online class
Yes, I would love an abstract/texture/acrylics class…especially like the concept of small canvases. I love your classes!
I am a senior on a budget, so class cost is a factor.
Patti
As long as the cost is reasonable I would love this online class.
Beautiful work.
Diane
Yes, yes YES!!!!!
It would be great! If it’s other content than the überacrylic class – i’ll take it :)
I’ve been wanting to take one of your classes for a long time! This one looks awesome!! It’s high time I sign up for some of that awesomeness :)
They all have great detail! I really like the blue on black and the summer one really caught my attention. I would definitely be interested in an online class (since I can’t get into the city easily), but cost would be a factor. Awesome stuff!
I would be interested in an online class or 2015. I trying to limit my 2015 classes to techniques I have never done before and this would fit perfectly.
I would be indeed interested!
I would love an on-line class on Acrylics Demystified.
Natalie I love each of those canvases! I love all that yummy texture and rich color! Especially your “summer” canvas! Awesome job!
Oh yes please to an online course, these are fabulous.
Cost is always a factor. It would depend.
Gorgeous texture.
I would be interested but I’m still working my way through some of the other online classes that I have from you:-)
Free time is hard to get.
My new canvas “On The Flip Side” – Jersey City in the background and “our” Lady Liberty . Why “our”? Well…it is in our yard and faces New York…go figure ;)
What a symbol this statue carries, how much hope and how many dreams are connected with it – amazing.
I can see her from my studio window and from the deck and it makes me always happy… What a view when I had my brand new green card in my pocket and we looked for an apartment…it was like a promise for good times to come. So far there are very good times… maybe Lady Liberty is my token of luck ;)
I played with a different background this time and I like the outcome a lot.
Have a wonderful and promising day !
Nat
Wow Nat, I really love this. The colours are beautiful, the painting is beautiful. I think you’re on to something with that Lady Liberty inspiration thing- it really seems to work for you! This is my favorite. More please!
Nat – that is a fabulous painting! Really love it
Wow… your canvas is amazing! I love it!
Hi Natalie. I don’t leave comments all that often but I’m out in the “blogosphere” always with an eye on what you are doing. I have to say that I am loving your recent canvases of your jersey city home. I especially like what you’ve done with this one. I agree this new background is a keeper. But then I’m a sucker for blues and purples! Lady liberty is also an American icon that I love. I remember seeing her as a kid being amazed that she was green and not shiny brass or copper like the little replicas that I had seen!
Wow Nat, this is so beautiful! It is sort of the view my dad had from his office in the twin towers. No he wasn’t there for 9/11 he had already passed but I know he would love this painting. Maybe even more then me, that is up for debate. I sure love it.
This is so awesome, Nat, and I am thrilled that you have ‘fallen in love’ with our lady….she is truly something special. I am jealous that you can just look out your window and see her every day!
Love the Statue of Liberty ! I love taking out of town visitors on the Beast cruise (it’s a 30 minute high speed boat ride)for an up close view of her and the skyline.
is a stunning work!
How awesome is that for a view to wake up and create to!
Thanks for sharing your canvas…nice one.
This is so beautiful, Nathalie! What an inspiring view you have from your studio. No wonder your art just keeps getting more gorgeous.
It was such a great and fun day teaching my Acrylics Demystified Workshop for The Ink Pad in New York City. As with most of the bigger group workshops it took place at the Westbeth Community Room which is the perfect location for those kind of workshops- huge space, lot’s of light, outdoor space and a little kitchen included.
We talked a lot about Liquitex Acrylic Paints and Acrylic Inks and Markers. About art supply labeling and the main groups in acrylics. And then started playful by pooling, puddling and stringing with Liquitex Pouring Medium and String Gel. I showed how to make acrylic skins and demonstrated several possibilities of using them. Perfect way to get over the White Canvas Horror :)
Then we sculptured our way up using Liquitex Flexible Modeling Paste -look at Karen’s awesome canvas on the top right and then we explored the possibilities of making your own glazes and playing with layers, translucency and colors in collages.
We used Ceramic Stucco, Super Heavy Gesso, Natural Sand played with different Transfer Techniques and it was fun to see how all these little techniques and informations sparked a load of creative ideas for future work and exploration in the heads of my wonderful smiling students.
Lastly we did a bit spray painting with Liquitex Spray Paints in the end to cool down outside .
To finish the workshop off I asked everyone what their favorite Acrylic was and which techniques. I was happy to hear that about everything was mentioned at least once with some clear winners on the Liquitex String Gel, Liquitex Super Heavy Gesso and the Liquitex Gel Medium & Varnish and for the techniques Glazing, Texture Creating and Painting with Newspapers
thank you girls for such an amazing and fun workshop day . An extra thank you to Linda Brun from Norway who was on vacation in NYC and when she heard I was giving a class signed up. This really touched me especially since she has taken a couple workshops with me in Paris, Belgium and Norway already…so she totally knew what she got herself into ;) Thank you for spending your vacation day with me!!!
I wish you a gorgeous and creative day
Nat
Nat do you teach this class on-line? I’d be interested in learnng more about acrylics from you.
Ellie, it is in the planning- keep an eye out for it on my blog :) I will announce it there!, Nat
I hope one day, took one of your workshop!
That would be wonderful indeed Amante!
Are you sure that Ms. Brun didn’t come to NYC just to take the course with you? Now that would be a compliment! Looks like you ladies had a splashing good time.
LOL Sue – I am sure there is more to see in NYC when my workshops ;)
It was such a fun trip to Germany and see friends and family but mainly to teach again at the Ostsee Scrap Event in Boltenhagen at the Baltic Sea. Just as last year it was a really intimate and gorgeous 3-Day event with round about 25 wonderful students located in a holiday village with a 2 minutes walk to the beach.
I had a blast. Thank you to all my students for coming and being open to try new things and dive right into paints – you rocked it :) Also thank you to Daniela for another amazing event – as last year I had a great time and the organization was exceptionally well done. And last but not least: Thank you to Liquitex for supporting the event and my workshops with wonderful materials – it is not a secret that their products are very dear to my heart and that they make it a breeze to get the results you are going for in your art work!
Since my students were mostly scrapbookers and a lot of them were dabbling for the first time into Mixed Media, I made sure they understand the essential message of this weekend …which somehow they really took to heart – LOL. They took this photo of me (thank you Sandra!) “It is not your life, it is just paper!” so overcome your fear of trying things and if they do not work as you want them , so what?- get over it! ;)
We started with a fun mono printing workshop, adding loads of texture and layers and just to loosen up :)
and soon the whole room was covered every where with prints and papers and booklets and they liked just playing and trying new things.
Here is Dani the wonderful organizer, who also made sure we would eat loads of yummie German food in between…oh man I filled up on sausages and German cake- LOL…I guess I missed that ;)
Next up was a canvas workshop – here is another photo collage I stole from Sandra :)
We used mostly Acrylic Paints and Acrylic Inks by Liquitex to get a nice background and then worked with my Stampendous Stamps and found objects on top of it.
It was so much fun to see them play with different colors and motifs and incorporating my stamps in different ways. Pure bliss and I heard some canvases are already hanging on walls :) Here is a group photo
In between I was able to dip my toes into the Baltic Sea with Andrea Gomoll and Janna Werner, who also taught there. Melanie Hoch was somewhere…she was another wonderful teacher at the event and kept hiding from us ;) just kidding ;) It was wonderful to spent some time with all three of them – I find it always super special to meet other creative teachers and exchange thoughts and support each other.
The last workshop I taught was an art journal technique workshop and the girls were ready for it on the last day :)
We used a lot Acrylic Paints and Acrylic Markers Markers as well as my Stencils by StencilGirl Products and my Stamps by Stampendous.
that was it…if you made it with all the pictures till here…you need a break and should do some art ;)
Have a gorgeous day
Nat
Sooo schöne Fotos.Ich schwelge immer noch in Erinnerung.Die Workshops waren so klasse.Bis hoffentlich ganz bald.
Lg Natalie
The weekend was so much fun. Just love how you teach :). Hugs, Sandra
Yes I made it all the way through and now I will go play in my art journal.
Those canvases are awesome and I especially like the pic of you and the other lady with “duck lips”.
Great work made by everybody and it looks like all these workshops were a lot of creative fun.
This is my latest canvas which is a 24×20″ one.
It is pretty textured as I layered Cheesecloth, Bark and Canvas cloth onto the painted background. I worked with Liquitex Acrylic Inks and Paints on the Background
Then used some Liquitex Professional Spray Paints
and lastly painted and touched everything up using Winsor & Newton Oilbars. (I just bought them and gosh do I love them!)
I will show this canvas among others in my Gentrification series today at an art show done by artists of and for residents of Dixon Mills here in Jersey City.
I am excited and nervous to show my work- it will be a small show but still :) My motto today is “The master failed more times then you have even tried” …so here you go, I am putting myself out there and it will be fine :) I am excited to see what people think of it- I am not planning or expecting on selling the work yet but it is the start of whole series with lot more paintings on the Gentrification topic that I have in mind . My dream would be a big exhibition on this topic- one can dream, right? But, since a couple of you emailed me and asked if I would sell the one or the other canvas, I was thinking of doing prints of them though- what do you think? Yea or Nay?
Have a wonderful day !
Nat
I’m sorry I never commented before – but I absolutely love your large canvases of buildings and pieces of places you live. They are dynamic and full of marvelous color – I would be surprised if you didn’t sell some-prints – definitely. Good luck with the show
Love the texture and color on this canvas!!
Love the texture and color on thi done!!
Love the art and the idea of being able to buy a print. I say go for it! Have fun with the show.
Good Luck at the show!! I’m sure you will sell some of your beautiful work. Yay to the prints!
The show looked great! Can’t wait to plan a collaboration. A colorful and other-worldly collaboration! We were thinking something during the fall Jersey City Open Studio weekend… If you haven’t been before, it can be a pretty big deal. Love ya! Kim
A big YAY!!!!!!!
Let us know about the outcome of your art show.
I say yea! And I really think you picked a the perfect pieces from your art to show- Love them all! Good Luck!
One word reply=
YES!
Love those colors – it’s a great canvas!
Today’s canvas (5/8) is absolutely stunning!! I like your work but this painting just blew me out of the water!! I hope your show goes well and you sell at least a few canvases!
YES ABSOLUTELY – 100% – Same size too.
YAY!!!
I like the subject and layout, but the color puts me off because it looks like the whole place is burning. I would not buy anything that had flames all around the buildings.
I am on my way to NAMTA Art Materials World in Pittsburgh today. Stampendous! will have a booth there too and these are some mini canvases I created using my Stampendous! Signature stamps.
Basically I created a background for each canvas with different color combinations using Acrylic Inks or Soft Body Acrylic Paint – having some fun dripping and dropping
Using the templates that are included in my stamp packages with Soft Body and/or Heavy Body Acrylic Paints I added another layer.
For the third layer I used the Stamps with an Embossing Pad and added various Aged Embossing Powders on top of it.
Carefully heat embossed it as to not burn canvas and/or acrylic paints
I love the texture this creates
I then used the stamps with acrylic paints and added some colors here and there and tied some elements together
I had loads of fun with those canvases
Here are all the supplies I used:
have a wonderful day – I am sure that I will share some photos of the convention next week – I am looking forward seeing inspiring stuff and meeting some artist friends.
Nat
I just ordered the mish mesh stamp set and some embossing enamel. Woo hoo!
Embossing enamel…oh no, another supply that I need.
These are great Nat and have fun.
LOVE LOVE LOVE! new items for my shopping list.
Love those! I’ll be playing with your stamps this weekend.
I might end up sounding like a commercial – but I’m loving it! Really cool canvases!
Comments (4)
Gina Sismilich
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Your city art is amazing – love this!
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Laura S
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Gorgeous, Nathalie! I wonder if every metropolitan city has their token Flat Iron? It might be cool to travel to each city in the US or the world, and visit these historical beauties. Have a beautiful week!
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Laura
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A flat iron building would make a great stencil ;)
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Nurse Ratchet
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Love this piece Nat..I have a love of the Flatiron buildings as well, especially the one in my home town.
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