Natalie Jane Parker was born in Sydney in 1971. At the age of 10, Natalie's family made a tree change to a five-acre property in the Hunter region, north of Newcastle. With bush surroundings and abundant wildlife, this in turn would be a major influence in her talent as a wildlife artist. She has been a wildlife artist focusing on Australian fauna and flora since 1996. Her home and studio is neslted on 50 acres in the picturesque Hunter Valley, which views provide daily inspiration for her art. Natalie paints in acrylic paint on clay coated board, which gives her the smooth surface which she requires to achieve her intricate details. The finishing touch to most paintings is an ant or two, which has become an unofficial signature in her work. Taking time to go into the bush is just as important as studio time. Natalie takes her camera everywhere, spending countless hours at wildlife parks and even visiting local people who rescue orphaned and injured wildlife. Also on her frequent field trips she collects interesting pieces of wood, rocks, native grasses, and nuts and has them in her studio to get the details exact. She even has jars of dirt gathered from various areas along with photographs of the flora that coincides in that area. Having a reference collection like this is an important tool for Natalie's artworks.
Natalie's paintings have been published on numerous open and limited edition prints, jigsaw puzzles, calendars, greeting cards, bone china mugs, trays, coasters, and placemats. She has also written and illustrated over 30 successful children's books, most are nature based. This has helped market her work to a whole new demographic of young children and parents as her books are found throughout Australia in book stores, school libraries, and public libraries. There is a fair chance the coffee mug you are drinking out of, the calendar on your wall, or even the treasured book you read your child is one of her creations. Natalie's work is unique in that it is cherished by memento-hunting tourists and serious art investors alike.
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