Natalie Stanley has travelled the world seeking adventure, and now lives on the Sunshine Coast.
Whilst residing in the French Alps, I discovered a connection between emotional well-being and the great outdoors. This connection is inspiration behind my paintings of birds and the ocean.
Influenced by 20th century expressionism, my work shows inner emotion, with a contemporary midcentury flair.
My artwork expresses my own connection to nature and the therapeutic effect it has on myself and people in general. I'm currently focussing on the way water triggers the parasympathetic nervous system and the meditative effect it creates.
I'm using both soft and hard lines to create the movement of water and the way it changes shape. I use colour and line to create an emotional experience over the physical reality. For me, expressionism allows for fluid brush strokes that relates the way water moves and calms the mind.
You'll notice in my work I sometimes switch back to using form, which at this moment is birds. Animals have this same ability to induce the same state of relaxation and lower cortisol levels, and I like to include the birds from my backyard. I could spend hours watching and listening to them to help relax. When painting form, my work takes on a more impressionistic approach where I like to use visible brush strokes of light and shadow to perceive depth.
The world is changing quickly, and with the advancement of technology, we are going through big social changes. My work is a way of documenting and expressing the changes and sharing the need to reconnect with nature and the emotional benefits.
Natalie studied a foundation Art and Design and HND in photography, but classifies her painting as self taught.