Natalia Villanueva

During her childhood Natalia spent time with two of her neighbours, a ceramist and a painter, and who led her to discover art. She too felt the desire to create with her hands as well as her brush.
She grew up on the Catalan coast and deeply absorbed the marine atmosphere. Fascinated by this landscape, she went in search of the seaside in other countries (Morocco, Senegal, Italy, Spain). In contact with the fishing ports, sailors and solitary lighthouses, she found strength and inspiration for her painting.

At the same time she was passionate about the marine works of the artist Juan Abello, who she met. Unsurprisingly, she chose to train as a ceramist at the Barcelona School of Industry. She completed her studies with courses in drawing, painting and printmaking. From this dual experience, she has preserved the taste of contact with the materials as well as the pleasures of drawing.

She incorporates ceramics in her paintings, combining layers of glass enamel with the oiland acrylicpaints that she applies with a spatula. This mixed media painting lends her work the shine and lustre of colours that is characteristic of ceramics. The juxtaposition of materials used allows her to create contrast between bright areas and opaque areas.

Natalia paints imaginary seascapes, inspired environments in which she has always existed. Her work brings the figurative to a purified representation. She releases the seascape by giving lots of light, contrast and texture to her work. Her approach is to modernize and revive the tradition of nautical painting.