Meet Natasha Kotwal (@tashkotwal), a Canadian artist who takes inspiration from timeless artists like Vincent Van Gogh. From putting her own spin on Starry Night to nature painting, Tash uses self-taught techniques to bring her creations to life. Find out more about her down below!
How did you find out you were a creative person?
I’d always been an art kid, but I never bothered with it once I finished high school. Only after I graduated from college and felt stuck, (I didn’t know if I wanted to pursue what I’d just studied), I found it motivated me. So, one fine day, I sketched out a Minion on an A4 sheet and I felt I could work on it and make it better. That lead to me watching tons of YouTube videos and going back to art.
We can see you’re inspired by artists like Van Gogh! What other creators inspire you?
Raja Ravi Varma, Claude Monet, Marie Bracquemond and also, Frida Kahlo.
Do you have a place you like to visit for creative inspiration?
There’s a tiny pond around my house. It’s a twenty minute walk. So, I pick up my favourite coffee from my local café and head there with my sketchbook. Watching the water shimmer in the sun along with geese and goslings, makes it a perfect day to find some inspiration for my next piece or if I’m dealing with a creative block.
What creative project were you a little unsure to start but turned out better than you hoped?
Being an ardent fan of Vincent Van Gogh, I wanted to recreate “Vase with Twelve Sunflowers”. It took me a week to complete, but I was genuinely surprised that I actually painted it using acrylics with an impasto technique. Plus, it turned out way better than I hoped!
Are you more of a sweet or savoury person?
A sweet person. I need my dessert after dinner, almost every night!
How do you give yourself a creative challenge?
Being a self-taught artist, learning a new technique every time is in itself a creative challenge that I go through once in a while. I recently learnt the art of blending greens and yellows to create a perfect shade for my nature themed paintings!
Do you get art block? If you do, how do you tackle it?
Yes. An art block never announces its arrival. It’s often quite sudden. To tackle it, I usually take a break and pick up another creative hobby like building book nooks, air dry clay crafts, or even reading. I also try and keep sketching in my sketchbook so that I don’t feel completely lost whenever I get out of my art block.
How did you discover your inner artist? Was creating something you always did, or did you find it later on?
It came out of the blue and I decided to nurture it further. I started with basic sketches, then went on to illustrations and finally decided to pick up paints. It’s something I always knew I had it in me but never worked on it for the longest time. It was only when I was stuck, I realized that I needed to let it out.
If you had to be an animal for a day (other than human) which would you pick?
Oh, definitely a cat.
What’s your creative space like? Do you play music, have plants, or keep it minimalistic?
My creative space is very me. It’s filled with shades of pink and blue, a bunch of Van Gogh art and my favourite paintings around me. My style is mostly maximalist, and I need to have things that make me happy around me (and that’s quite a lot of stuff!). I usually love to play my dedicated art playlist while I work, and I also always have my cats around me being sloths or asking for attention.
Tash’s approach to staying inspired and following your passion is truly motivating! See more of @tashkotwal by checking out our gallery, where her art journey is featured!
Stock up on art goodies like Acrylic Colour paints (one of Tash’s go-tos) to get creating at home. If you do make something, #montmarteart or tag us @montmarteart on Instagram or Facebook. We’d love to see what you come up with!
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