Biography

One of the country’s most innovative and accomplished young artists, Natalie Featherston works exclusively in the centuries old realm of still life to create dazzling narrative and trompe l’oeil paintings that combine the virtuosity of a Dutch Master with the vision of a thoroughly modern mind. The Chicago Sun Times has described her paintings as “artful beyond just illusion and trickery; they are truly masterful still lifes made with both craft and wit”.

“What inspires me most is the creative voice that still life gives. Unlike portraits or landscapes, still life doesn’t simply exist around us. You have to actually build the stage for the painting and select the subjects, colors, and textures. The end result must arrive at something that draws the viewer into an invented realm that connects with their experiences in a meaningful way. I have always found still life painting to be quite a challenge for these very reasons, and although it may qualify me for the “one-trick-pony” category, I can’t imagine painting anything else.”

Natalie discovered her love of painting quite by accident after moving to New York City from North Carolina in the early 1990’s to pursue her Master’s degree in Music. An accomplished cellist, she has had the honor of performing at Carnegie Hall and across Europe as a chamber musician and soloist. “Although I enjoyed making music, I really wanted to do something more creative and unique; something that was altogether mine. I started taking drawing classes at the Art Student’s League of New York and I was hooked.” Classes soon followed at some of New York’s most venerable art institutions: The National Academy of Design, The School of Visual Arts, The Drawing Academy of the Atlantic, and culminated in a six year apprenticeship with Michael Aviano.

Ms. Featherston’s paintings have received numerous awards from some of the most distinguished art organizations in the country, including the Salmagundi Club and the Catherine Lorillard Wolfe Club. Her work has appeared in American Art Collector, Southwest Art, The Artist’s Magazine, and Santa Fean Magazine to name but a few of the publications that have featured her paintings. Highlights of her career thus far include exhibiting at the Arnot Museum as part of “Re-Presenting Realism VI”, an international show of the top contemporary artists in their field. In addition, Natalie’s floral still life “Mum’s the Word” was chosen from among thirteen thousand entries as the first place winner of the Artist’s Magazine Still Life Competition. Ms. Featherston is represented by art galleries in most major cities across the United States and her paintings are sought after by many notable collectors including Mr. Philip Godel of Godel & Co. Fine Arts in New York City, J.J. Abrahms, the producer of the television show “Alias”, and Ms. Noreen Taylor, director of the McMichael Canadian Art Collection in Ontario, Canada.

EDUCATION

1995-2001 Michael Aviano; private instruction, New York, NY
1993-1995 National Academy of Design, New York, NY
1991-1993 Art Students League, New York, NY
1987-1991 B.M., North Carolina School of the Arts, Winston-Salem, N.C.

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2009 - Solo exhibition, Meyer East Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
2008 "Too Good to be True," Meyer East Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
2007 "The Best Magic Show Ever," Meyer East Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
2006 “Trick the Eye and Tempt the Tongue,” Meyer-Munson Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
2005 “Suitable for Framing,” Meyer-Munson Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
2004 “Just Desserts”, Portals Gallery, Chicago, IL
2003 Portals Gallery, Chicago, IL
2002 “Still Life Goes On.” Arcadia Fine Arts, New York, NY

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

2009	Trompe l'oeil Invitational, Meyer Gallery, Sante Fe, NM The Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie "American Miniatures", Settlers West Gallery, Tuscon, AZ "Small Work", Arcadia Fine Arts, NY, NY
2008	Sante Fe Food Fest, Meyer East Gallery, Sante Fe, NM
2007	Big Talent Small Works, Arcadia Fine Arts, NY, NY American Masters Invitational, Settlers West Gallery, Tuscon, AZ Holiday Illusions, Leslie Levy Fine Arts, Scottsdale, AZ 30th anniversary show, Leslie Levy Fine Arts, Scottsdale, AZ
2006	Small Works Show, Arcadia Fine Arts Art Philadelphia, Art Miami, Art LA, Art Boston – Arcadia Fine Arts Leslie Levy Fine Arts, Scottsdale, AZ
2005	Small Works Show, Arcadia Fine Arts, New York, NY Art Philadelphia, Art Miami, Art LA, Art Chicago – Arcadia Fine Arts
2004	Munson Gallery, Santa Fe, NM Meyer Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ Russeck Gallery, SanFrancisco, CA Art Philadelphia, Art Miami, Art Chicago- Arcadia Fine Arts
2003	Re-Presenting Realism VI, Arnot Museum, Elmira, NY “Trompe l’Oeil”, Century Gallery, Alexandria, VA
2002	New Year, New Talent, Arcadia Fine Arts, New York, NY Images 2002, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
2001	The Catherine Lorillard Wolfe arts Club, New York, NY The Salmagundi Club, New York, NY Summer Invitational, Arcadia Fine Arts, New York, NY
2000	The Salmagundi Club, New York, NY Cooperstown Art Association, Cooperstown, NY First Street Gallery, New York, NY
1999	Cavalier Gallery, Greenwich, CT J&W Fine Arts, New Hope, PA
1996	Cork Gallery at Lincoln Center, New York, NY

AWARDS

2001	Catherine Lorillard Wolfe Arts Club, New York, NY The Artist's Magazine Annual Art Competiton / First Place, Still Life Salmagundi Club, New York, NY / President's Choice Award
2000	The Artists's Magazine Annual Art Competition / Still Life Finalist Salmagundi Club, New York, NY / Art Times Award

COLLECTIONS

Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Parish, Tyler, TX

Mr. Graydon Parish, Amherst, MA

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Krakoff, Boston, MA

Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Godel, New York, NY

Ms. Toni Morrison, Princeton, NJ

Mr. J.J. Abrams, Alias Televisions Productions, Burbank, CA

Ms. Noreen Taylor, Director of McMicheal Canadian Art Collection, Ontario
Bill and Nancy McIlvaine, Chicago, IL
Ms. Danielle Steele

PUBLICATIONS

Southwest Art Magazine
April 2010

Focus Magazine
September 2007

Santa Fean Magazine
September 2007

Art Talk Magazine
March 2007

Southwest Art Magazine "Top Ten Artists to Watch for 2007"
January 2007

American Art Collector Magazine
May 2006

The Santa Fean Magazine
September 2005
"The Best of Fall"

The New Mexican
"Pasa Tiempo-Weekly Magazine of Art and Culture"
September 16-22, 2005

The Chicago Sun Times
December 10, 2004

The Artist's Magazine
December 2001
"The Year's Best Art"