Meet the Artist:
Natalie Bonnet Monat grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, where she began practicing her artistic skills from a very young age. Natalie obtained her BFA from Kansas City Art Institute in 2000, then began a career in interior design & merchandising. In addition to her love for art, Natalie always had an interest in medicine. She went back to school and has enjoyed working as a surgical nurse. She and her husband Etienne Monat married in 2011 and have 2 beautiful boys. After a decade of nursing & focusing on their young family, she’s back to her lifelong passion of making art!
Statement from the Artist:
“Emotion fuels me to create. Sometimes it’s my own intense emotions that need processing, and other times an observation of someone else’s. Making art is when I feel the most connected to myself and the world around me.
My process tends to be sculptural regardless of the medium. Creating feels like a dance of adding and subtracting until the piece reveals what it wants to be. The visual result is a soft build up of layers balanced by saturated colors. Gold leaf is incorporated in many of my paintings, mainly because it reflects light in a way that paint cannot. It also adds an ethereal quality that taps into the spiritual connection I feel when creating.
One of my biggest artistic influences is my mother. She taught me to draw and paint when I was very little, and making art has been a source of pleasure and peace for as long as I can remember. I continue to sign my work with my maiden name because my artistic identity feels so strongly rooted in my youth.”
Testimonials:
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“The owl painting is beautiful! Thank you!! I love how it catches the light. It’s going to look great at the cabin.”
-Marcus Lennon
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“I always feel that I can never thank you enough for the gorgeous painting of my Steven. Your kindness and beautiful talent are such a blessing. You’ve really touched my soul, and it makes me so happy to see you sharing your gift with the world.”
-Lorease Mumford