Nataša May : Captivating Characters

I am fascinated by the expressions on the characters in Nataša May's artwork. They are captivating and intriguing. Just when I think I have them figured out, I see more depth, and enjoy gazing at them even more. Her "Hole In My Universe," below is also very compelling, with the abstract, yet seemingly identifiable imagery. Ms. May was kind enough to share herself and the story behind her art in our interview, below.

I was very drawn to art my whole life but I was never encouraged to pursue an artistic career, so I never did. It was coming across Suzi Blu’s videos, in 2008, on YouTube that encouraged me to see myself as an artist. Since I am self taught and have no formal education in arts it was very difficult for me to call myself an artist. And, my painting style being more of a Folk Art and not Fine Art didn’t help either. I guess we all have doubts in the beginning. The first time that I admitted to myself out loud that I am an artist was when I sold my first paintings. My co-worker at the time bought 10 of them. It was proof for me that people other than my family like my art.

I don't remember my very first art creation but it must have been a drawing. I remember drawing a lot when I was a kid. I tried air dry clay and polymer clay but it really doesn’t call me. I liked it but never had the desire to go back to it. I’m in love with paint, though. If we're talking about my first art creation when I came back to art as an adult it was a mixed media piece of a folk art doll on a wooden panel called, "I Call Her Yellow."

Wow! This goes back years. I remember it vividly because I impressed myself with it. I made a pencil drawing on a little piece of paper of my baby cousin. I don’t think that piece of paper survived through years but I remember how proud I felt when I drew that baby face.

I like to show off my art on my blog, "Natasha May Art World." I sell on Etsy, too, but mostly people contact me through e-mail. I have only prints available in my Etsy shop right now because I’m saving the originals for an upcoming exhibition in September here in my home country Slovenia. I like donating my paintings to charities, as well, especially to the local association for feral and stray cats, an association in which I used to be an active member. Lately I've also been making a lot of ATC's (Artist Trading Cards) which I've been trading with people on-line all over the world.

I plan to do a few more exhibitions in the future and also a little more abstract work. I’m also planning my first on-line workshop, hopefully this year.

I am fascinated by the expressions on the characters in Nataša May's artwork. They are captivating and intriguing. Just when I think I have them figured out, I see more depth, and enjoy gazing at them.

In the words of Nataša May, from her site, "I’m a self-taught mixed media artist and I make whimsical pretty faces on layered backgrounds using acrylic paints, colour pencils and tissue paper to name a few..."
Connecting with Nataša May :
	Etsy :	etsy.com/shop/natashamay
	Blog :	natashamay.blogspot.com
	FB Page :	facebook.com/NatashaMayArtWorld
	Twitter :	twitter.com/MayNatasha