"Reflections" is a retrospective culled from work I have done over past twenty years of my life. I chose the title "Reflections" because the word itself has many different meanings. A reflection can be a likeness that appears in a mirror; it can be light playing on surface, and it can be the process of serious, contemplative thought. A reflection can also be a symmetric transformation in which a figure or pattern is reversed along an axis, so that the new figure produced is a mirror image of the original.
As an artist born in Soviet Russia who now resides in the United States, I am interested in reflecting on the dichotomy of my life in two very diverse countries. The duality in the play and contrast of light and dark speaks to me as a universal theme both visually and emotionally.
The work you see here is diverse in its themes as well as in the media I have used. I like experimenting with pen and ink drawings, watercolors, printmaking, and painting with both oils and acrylics. Mostly figural and architectural studies, my work can be taken at face value, seen as metaphorical or left open to the viewer’s interpretation.
I hope that my work –though deeply personal- can serve as a mirror for the thoughts and reflections of others.
BIO
Natasha Vetlugin can create art from practically anything imaginable. Equally at home within fine art, commercial art and handcrafts, her talents have stretched to include a broad spectrum of different mediums, including pen and ink, charcoal, and pencil drawing; oil and acrylic paint; faux-finishes and photography, as well as sculpture and installations into her considerable repertoire.
Born in Tula, Russia, she started drawing at the age of two. Her raw natural talent was so impressive; she was brought to Moscow, where she was accepted into the children’s division of the prestigious Moscow Art Academy.
In the Eighties, Natasha and her family emigrated from the Soviet Union to Southern California. She attended Otis Art Institute of Parsons School of Design, majoring in fine art. The summer following her sophomore year was spent in Paris apprenticing to French artists in various disciplines.
Since joining forces with Kelly Morse to create Skellramics, Natasha’s eclectic original style and media versatility expanded to ceramics, mosaics and tile work. She holds a tile contractor’s license (for architectural jobs) and her tile work can be seen in businesses and private homes, while her fine art has been displayed in numerous galleries the world over.
The exhibition runs through October 31, 2009
