Natalie Black
Until 2019, CCC Artist, Natalie Black lived her whole life in Tennessee and was first exposed to the thrill of creating with her own two hands by her Grandmother who taught her to sew and knit as a girl. One can see an influence of this in her ceramic work which translates techniques and aesthetics of material fiber that is soft and flexible into a ceramic material that is hard and rigid. Her work is a reconsideration of “women’s work” and fiber traditions.
Natalie uses various sculpture clay bodies and has recently started experimenting with paper clay. The textures she applies to surfaces are very time intensive and she develops a small section at a time, until it feels finished. Natalie started experimenting with slip dipping knitted squares when quarantine started. It has been difficult to fire her work since the studios have shut down, so she has revisited a 2-D process employing a graphite rubbing technique to collect textures and reconfigure into a larger composition combining sewn sheets and ceramic wall pieces.
Natalie’s deep inspiration comes from poetry and fiction, as well as visual artists such as Linda Lopez, Francesca DiMattio, Rebeca Hutchinson and Ruth Asawa.
With her confirmed commitment to her art, Natalie must balance in her full-time job as a custom framer, and keeps in shape by running, cycling and playing soccer. Though now in quarantine, the soccer league and Artist as Quiltmaker XIX, at the FAVA Gallery have been canceled.
Please check out Natalie’s website: https://ntblack.wixsite.com/natblackstudio.
