Natasha Barnes, originally from Parys in the Free State but now a Ridge convert, has taken the international art world by storm. Based in Umhlali, her feet barely touch ground as she travels frequently to the UK and the States.
“I’ve been to the States four times this year,” she said from her super-productive studio. “Plus, in January I opened up a gallery in Chelmsford, just outside London, called Turner Barnes.”
Natasha trained as a cordon bleu chef at Silwoods in Cape Town. “I just loved it. I did my final year at the Oyster Box Hotel and decided to make Durban my home. I realised I had a talent in food styling and became cookery editor at Your Family, which was the leading food magazine in those days.”
Natasha worked at the magazine on and off for 10 years, before her culinary career veered off in another incredible direction. She agreed to conduct cookery courses at Westville Prison as part of a programme by the government offering skills to inmates.
“I helped out for three weeks – and left five years later!” she exclaimed. “There I was, a 28-year-old yuppie, teaching hardened criminals how to cook. It was my time to ‘give back’ and it taught me a lot about myself.”
However, this gave Natasha the flexibility to manage her time and develop her artistic talent.
“I’ve been painting since I was seven and throughout my working career I sold paintings at art exhibitions. I was one of the youngest artists accepted at Art in The Park, but was never super ambitious and was happy to live and sell work in Durban. Overseas wasn’t on the radar. It’s funny how life happens while you’re planning other things!”
But make no mistake, Natasha is an astute businesswoman. Once cooking was out of her system she took her career as an artist seriously.
“I took a short-cut and headed straight for the overseas market. My first trade show was in Abu Dhabi, where a German publisher offered to ‘print my work’. Ikea bought one of my images for their catalogue – 19 million copies went out and my career snowballed. That was 14 years ago. Since then I’ve been on a treadmill!”
Natasha is so busy that she paints under two pseudonyms: Lillian Scott and Sage Valentine. “This enables my styles not to compete!” she explained.
Natasha’s dynamic abstract style is her signature and she loves working on huge projects.
“I’ve done work for hotel groups in the Middle East, Pakistan and here in Durban.”
Her work can also be seen in the John Lewis Department Store in London as well as Selfridges and Marks and Spencer. The TV soap Egoli wrote her into their script, her visuals are on Hallmark greeting cards, and her originals are sold at exclusive exhibitions worldwide.
“I get invited to six-to eight fairs around the world each year and have distributors and agents in the US, Canada, UK, Middle East and Australia. I also have 16 publishers.”
Her work is so prolific that 50% of her income is derived from royalties and the balance from originals.
“I’m extremely disciplined and my art is my business,” Natasha continued, explaining that she works on up to six pieces at a time. “I can’t wait for pieces to dry once I’m on a roll. Art is what I do. Every painting is a mood, a reflection of what is happening in my mind. Some days are quiet – some days are abstract.”
For fun, Natasha loves to travel and chooses exotic, out of the way places.
“I’ve been on a wonderful journey and I am now writing a cookbook which embraces my love for food, intermingled with my travel experiences.”
No doubt it will be flavoured with her artistic skill.
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