Art by Natalie Dunnege

My artwork is largely inspired by organic materials and the textures found in nature. I experiment with ingredients that will give me enough bulk to sculpt and carve layers in the surface of the paint, creating depth and dimension, and I complete final details at the end with a small brush. The amount of materials used in the layering process can result in a textured painting weighing significantly heavier than a traditional painting, making it take upwards of a year to dry. While organic materials inspire the physical textures of my work, my abstract paintings also use color to express personal emotions and lived experiences. Drawing on my Master's degree in Psychology, I became interested in how contemporary psychologists associate color with emotional responses. Regardless of the scientific validity, I have found color to work as a tool for exploring and processing my own emotions. The texture of my work describes the physical world, and the color holds the emotional state.