Natasha France
Looking at her artwork, you’d never guess Northern Beaches-based artist Natasha France started abstract painting a mere six months ago! The artist taps into spirituality, nuance and shade, music and poetry for her pastel-hued, ethereal paintings.
Words & Photography: Hande Renshaw
Natasha France in her Northern Beaches studio, in Sydney. Photo: Hande Renshaw
‘I think I must be inherently quite creative. My natural instinct is to create, and to feel, see, think creatively. It certainly extends beyond painting, and into everything,’ says Natasha France. Photo: Hande Renshaw
‘I like working with nuance and shade, something feels instinctively exciting and interesting about those qualities for me. Dreamlike, thoughtful. Like the note of a song, tilt of a road, faraway haze of horizon in summer, or crushed grass smell in autumn.’ Photo: Hande Renshaw
The urge to create has been deeply engrained in Northern Beaches-based artist Natasha France’s life for as long as she can remember. Having grown up in a home full of classical music, books of poetry, fiction and modernist expressionism from an early age, Natasha was sketching and painting onto flower pots, pieces of fabric, paper… pretty much anything she could reach!
‘My journey to creating has always felt very natural and organic,’ shares Natasha, ‘After school, I studied art history and communications at university – my love for the many disciplines of the creative space only enhanced. After graduating, I trained as a graphic designer. But the call to painting always pulled me back to my palettes, and eventually that dream and desire took over.’
After studying, Natasha worked within the design sphere and collaborated extensively, she recently moved into her own studio by the beach, an idyllic location to create her abstract works.
Natasha is inherently creative, her natural instinct is to create, to feel, see and think creatively. ‘It certainly extends beyond painting, and into everything: arranging food, planning dinner parties, designing furniture, jotting down prose. Stepping into that plane is certainly very seamless for me, and a deep, vital pleasure… not operating artistically feels foreign and unsettling. So I’m grateful to find it an intrinsic way of life. My path, in a way,’ she says.
Natasha’s shift to paint her abstract works full-time was merely 6 months ago, a realisation which came during a weekend away with friends. ‘At that time, I was exclusively working within fine art and I committed to the medium only days after my trip. It’s been the most beautiful and rewarding journey of my professional creative life to date. I feel so at home within my practice.’
Each morning, the artist taps into her devotion to spirituality as a compass for her day ahead. ‘I begin each day with prayer, and find life and flow from that place. Everything that comes forth is an extension from the peace and joy God brings to my heart. I see the love and kindness He speaks in my canvases and colours. The sky, the water, the rocks – everything feels like visual poetry to me,’ she shares.
For Natasha, her spiritual commitment and the tenderness and emotional awareness she garners from her devotion, is a vital form of inspiration. ‘Inspiration also comes from many places that don’t seem to have any “through-lines’”, but speak to my internal worlds… music, conversations, skyscapes, fiction, fragrance, worship, water, drinks at a lovely bar, waking early or staying up late reading – all things that really move me. I love Italian, Danish and French art – the Renaissance and Baroque eras particularly. Paintings and frescoes from those periods stir deep emotions. Light is probably my most influential touch point. It can bring energy, dimension, atmosphere. Light fascinates me.’
Natasha’s abstract pieces are soft and gentle, with unexpected tones, lines and forms. The interpretive quality within abstract expression and its access to emotions and responses within her viewers are a constant motivator. ‘Something about this appeals to our unconscious being, sidestepping the conscious. Perhaps that is overkill, but it’s certainly my reaction to abstract art. What I like about the medium, is that every person’s perceptions are completely individual and sacred to them. Like, dislike, disagree – it’s all a beautiful space to experience your own journey within. And each journey is allowed.’
Natasha is currently working with collectors in London, Stockholm and Paris, and also collaborating with UK online gallery, Domenica Marland, in the coming weeks, as well several other brands. She is also booked for upcoming work with L’Appartment 4F and One Mile, as well as installations with private collectors that include Lindsey Holland, Danielle Copperman, and Kristina Stefanovic of Aend the sea.
‘It’s very exciting to be working with the people that I am, but my joy is in the quiet moments – mixing paints, listening to the waves, feeling the sun, flowing with sweetness of everyday.’
‘Not operating artistically feels foreign and unsettling – I’m grateful to find it an intrinsic way of life. My path, in a way.’ Photo: Hande Renshaw
‘Fostering young talent in this industry is so rare – and in equal measure, valued by artists like myself. Being championed is so humbling, and makes me so grateful.’ Photo: Hande Renshaw
‘I love Italian, Danish and French art – the Renaissance and Baroque eras particularly. Paintings and frescoes from those periods stir deep emotions. Light is probably my most influential touch point. It can bring energy, dimension, atmosphere. Light fascinates me.’ Photo: Hande Renshaw
“Embrace the imperfect. Life, skills and setting don’t need to be ideal to bring forth gold from. Take what you have, and embrace what comes – flaws create a richer and more fascinating foundation to work with.”
‘Everyday is a dream come true. I couldn’t love what I do more.’ Photo: Hande Renshaw
‘What I like about the medium [abstract art], is that every person’s perceptions are completely individual and sacred to them. Like, dislike, disagree – it’s all a beautiful space to experience your own journey within. And each journey is allowed.’ Photo: Hande Renshaw
‘The abstract medium says so many things words can’t, and I’m so enchanted by that.’ Photo: Hande Renshaw
‘I sometimes find tones to work with in unusual places, blurred photos or tones in rocks, or sand. My studio is filled with light, and the reflection of the ocean.’ Photo: Hande Renshaw