Natalie Armstrong conveys joy in her works

Encountering Natalie Armstrong’s mixed-media collage creations, you are taken immediately into a story you can’t quite define, but you also can’t walk away from. She doesn’t fall neatly into any niche; rather, she has created her own and blazed a trail with her intriguing use of materials. Even the name she selected to encompass her talent echoes her creativity. “¡Fifi Gi! Storied Collage Art!,” Natalie explained, “is a combination of my greatest sources of inspiration and motivation. The ‘Gi’ is for my eldest, Gigi, named after my artist grandmother, and the ‘Fifi’ is a nickname for my youngest, Phoebe.”

Natalie has grown up among strong, passionate, independent women, so it’s no surprise she finds a way to incorporate women in her artwork. “I remember my grandmother painting on fallen roof shingles; her love for Louis Icart and Betty Boop had and has such a huge influence over my art. I just think women are so fabulous and complex,” said Natalie. “We are just these beautifully intricate, multifaceted beings. I am endlessly inspired by the different ways I can explore and play with large and complex notions of femininity and power through tiny manipulations and details.”

It has been a whirlwind since Natalie embarked on this path of artistry. “I’ve been a full-time artist solely for about two years now, but maybe an artist in different ways my whole life. My artistic journey has been a slow evolution as I’ve grown and changed. I do feel strongly like this is what I am meant to be doing.”

Natalie has participated in several art fairs and festivals in Northwest Louisiana and beyond, including the Red River Revel, and was featured at an Artist Showcase Reception at the Agora Borealis for Downtown Artwalk on Dec. 4. “I love the laid-back atmosphere of a festival. I have so much fun meeting people and other artists, enjoying the food and music, and just people-watching in general.”

In addition to being a full-time artist, Natalie is also a wife and mom. “I am fortunate and so grateful to have an incredibly supportive husband and family that allows me to pursue art as a full-time job. I work around my girls’ schedules, really. It is important to me that they always come first and know they come first, but also for them to know and see that there is more to me than just ‘mom.’”

Natalie started her artistic endeavors by flipping furniture. “I really enjoy working with wood and fell in love with decoupage and collage and just started creating these very elaborate tables and chairs with feathers and beading, and a friend of mine suggested I try putting my collages onto wood panels and selling my artwork. It took me a while to follow through with that, though, because I found the idea of being an ‘artist’ to be very intimidating because I just hold them in such high esteem. But I did come around and am so grateful I did because I feel like I’m finally doing what I was meant to do.”

The message of Natalie’s artwork may vary depending on the piece or the series, but the overall message she hopes to convey is joy. “I want my art to be celebratory and playful. My grandmother was very playful and irreverent in her work, and I often try to model that in my own work; I try to not take myself too seriously.”

To experience Natalie’s intricate and beautiful artwork in person, visit her at the Agora Borealis, 421 Lake St., through Dec. 28. You can also reach her on Facebook and Instagram at @ fifigicollageart and by email at fifigicreations@gmail.com. There is also a 15% discount off your first purchase if you sign up for her mailing list on her website, fifigicollageart.com.