Today we’d like to introduce you to Natalie Garza
Hi Natalie, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I grew up in Colorado, surrounded by the natural beauty of the outdoors and the stunning mountain landscapes, which have always been a huge source of inspiration for me. The vastness and fluidity of the mountains, along with the natural world around me, influenced my deep appreciation for organic forms and movement in my art. From a young age, I knew I wanted to be an artist. I’ve always had a love for creating things—whether through drawing, painting, or experimenting with different mediums. This passion led me to pursue a Fine Arts degree at CU Boulder, where I was able to refine my skills and explore various artistic avenues.
After graduation I moved to Salt Lake City, where I explored a few different jobs, but luckily ended up teaching ceramics and watercolor at ArtHaus SLC, until landing a job in interior design alongside running Seldom Studio.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I doubt anyone in a creative field would describe their path as smooth!
There have been significant ups and downs, as well as doubting the validity of the career path. I would say the biggest difficulty has been growing into and trusting my own style. I have tried to fit into different categories of the art world based on what I thought might be well liked, more popular, or more lucrative, but the more I followed these extrinsic motivations the more I experienced burnout and stress. It’s not always going to be blatantly rewarding to trust your own style, because there will be many people who like something different, but over time you start to find people who think similarly and respect what you have to offer.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a ceramic artist and painter, and I hope to be constantly creating a balance of movement and energy in a piece with subtlety and nuance. I love playing with how painting can interact with ceramics in using different glazes and textures to emulate my work in abstract oil painting. I struggled for a while with which type of artist I needed to be, but I realize more and more that it is my curiosity of both painting and ceramics that brings my work to life. I hope to always maintain my desire to explore new ideas and learn from my past experiences.
Outside of my personal artistic pursuits I work in interior design, which has allowed me the opportunity to see some of my current ceramic work in beautifully designed homes. Interior design has given me a new lens on how ceramics can interact with a space, as well as a perspective into creating timeless pieces. Ideally the work I create will last, bring people joy, and be a benefit to them, not just something purchased off a shelf at a department store.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
The only advice I have is that everyone has their own path and learning curve, and to compete with that is a waste of time. Unfortunately you can’t cheat the system, and success, acknowledgement, and achievement of goals will come on their own schedule, but what you can control is your willingness to keep going and know that every experience, and every piece of work is part of a larger picture.
These sentiments are still a work in progress for me to this day, but I keep in mind an experience I had a few years ago, when I hung a few pieces in a local coffee shop, thinking it was such a waste of time, who is going to be purchasing large oil paintings before ordering a latte? In reality, I made quite a few sales and met some amazing people that still continue to purchase my work. All of the opportunities I have had, no matter how small, have brought me to where I am today.
Although a younger me would have most likely ignored this advice…
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.seldomstudio.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seldom_studio/
