Natasha hits New York City!

This mixed media piece from the Every Day People Series “Natasha” is in New York City, featured in the upcoming exhibit HerStory: All that Women Are at Viridian Artists Gallery in Chelsea.

Natasha’s Story:

I upcycle my materials to use in my creative process and when I saw the striped pillow case I knew I wanted to use it for someone special. I also used a piece of yellow fabric from a IIDA sample book. I created a woman who is biracial and began writing down HER STORY. Her Mother was white, her Father African American and they lived in South Carolina in the late 60’s. I usually don’t name my EVERYDAY PEOPLE but I will call her Natasha. People were very prejudiced because she was from a mixed race family.

She learned that when people made comments about her looks not to respond but smiled to herself. She was proud of her family who were very close and hardworking. It wasn’t easy but she made a couple of friends in grade school who remained her friends thru high school. She loved to sew so she made some great dresses under her Mother’s watchful eye. She saw other girls admiring her dresses sometimes but never saying a word.

Natasha moved to Washington DC after high school where the city had more diversity in the 70’s, so she was able to get a job and eventually go to college. She joined the Peace Corps and was sent to live and work in Botswana to help women there set up a small craft business where they kept their own money. This opened up a whole new world for her. 

She still lives in DC and is married with her own family. She dreams of a day when racism doesn’t exist. She is a very well respected member of the community and is grateful her parents encouraged her to be confident despite everything.