Natasha Newton | Open Channel Interviews
I’m so thrilled to share with you this interview with visual artist Natasha Newton. I fell in love with her work through her YouTube videos and gorgeous art supply swatching videos.
What does creativity mean to you?
Creativity means always remaining curious about the world, having an enquiring mind and a desire to try new things. Being creative as part of my daily life means that I perhaps appreciate the beauty that surrounds me more than I would if I wasn't studying it so closely for my art.
What is your creative process like?
I feel like my creative process is actually my daily life! My brain never really switches off, and I quite like that (most of the time!). I find that inspiration comes to me from almost anywhere - it can be a certain colour, shape or texture I see in nature while out walking in the countryside, or something I come across unexpectedly online or in a book I'm reading. I tend to jot down all of these ideas, whether in the form of a quick sketch or - as is more often the case - words. I use the Notes app on my phone or one of the many notebooks I have 'on the go' at once! I'll sometimes work on sketches before a final painting, but often I won't. I like to dive straight in, and will only ever loosely sketch out the basic composition onto the paper or canvas before starting the actual painting. I like to let the pieces evolve as I go along. Although now I'm starting lino printing, and I'm finding that more planning is required before I start carving into the lino. It's not like a painting where I can just add more paint over the top - once I've made a cut and perhaps taken away too much, that's it!
How or where do you find inspiration if you're in a creative slump?
I'm very fortunate in that I don't really find that I have creative slumps; it's more often the opposite problem of not enough time and too many ideas! But if I'm unsure of what to work on from my list, I'll just sit with it for a while and look through my notes until something jumps out and says to me, "paint me now!"
I love your YouTube and Patreon. What made you decide to start a YouTube channel, and what has the YouTube and Patreon experience been like for you?
I'd been thinking about starting a YouTube channel for years before I finally plucked up the courage to do it. Even after I created the channel in March 2018, it took nearly another year for me to upload a video! I needed to find a way of doing it that was comfortable for me. I don't like being in front of the camera much, so I tend to film from my perspective, and I now film a lot of videos where I'm either painting or sharing my various art supplies from a camera positioned above me on the desk, so I'm talking to the viewers while I work and you can only see my hands! The connection is there without feeling self conscious in front of the camera. Both YouTube and Patreon have been hugely beneficial to both my art practice and my general confidence. Having this supportive community of like-minded people just makes life so much more interesting, and I think I actually feel even more creative and motivated than I did before! I love sharing my art process and the 'behind-the-scenes' of being an artist with them. I'm so thankful to my patrons, and I hope they realise how much of a difference they've made to my life. Financially, it's given me a more stable income each month, which allows me to develop my work with less worry of how I'm going to pay the bills. Both Patreon and YouTube take a lot of time and effort to maintain each month, but it's more than worth it!
Where can we find your work?
People can find my work on my website and shop, and on Instagram, YouTube and Patreon.
Website: natashanewton.com
Shop: natashanewtonshop.com
Instagram: natashanewtonart
YouTube: youtube.com/@natashanewtonart
Patreon: patreon.com/natashanewtonart
Thanks for reading, and be sure to check out Natasha’s work! Now that the spring semester is over, I’m hoping to get back to a regular posting schedule here!