Canadian Black Female Collage Artist goes digital
“When I was younger, I had a fascination with collages and cutting images out of magazines. I would write my name using letters cut out of magazines (ransom note-style) and I tried to integrate collage into every school assignment I would complete. That’s why, when I saw NFT Nat’s mixed media collage collection, I was awed by her ability to create beauty out of random images and I am eager to discuss with her what went into creating these beautiful pieces.”
Like many of us, Nat has a collection of old magazines. She searches through them to find an image she can build on with the goal to create a style of art that she would like to see in a frame. She sees a picture and will spend hours hand-cutting and rearranging images from photos and magazines. To me, knowing that an artist has put in this much care and effort into their work makes you appreciate the little details that much more. The handmade collages along with the digital touches added bring the pieces the images and the artist’s vision to life.
This collection has five pieces created by Nat: Booking a Shot, Temptation, The Woon Sue Twins, Mahogany, and The Offering. In all five of these pieces, Nat has included her own personal touch — whether it be flowers or family ties. In Booking a Shot, the yellow and pink lilies are cut-outs of photos taken from Nat’s personal garden. She took the photos specifically for this piece and included them to personalize it. Nat also included flowers in Temptation, Mahogany, and The Offering. Each individual flower and leaf was cut out using very small scissors so that Nat could get the most precise cut. Finally, The Woon Sue Twins is an homage to Nat’s mother who is against a background that shows off her Chinese/Jamaican heritage. I love to see artists add a signature image to their work, and the flowers show off Nat’s personality and eye for beauty perfectly.
