Natasha Mcconnachie

Though born and based in the United States I have spent much of my life in South Africa. My paintings and children’s book illustrations are richly inspired by this experience. This dynamic second home of natural beauty, great contrasts and cultural diversity is expressed in my work through vibrant color, textured surfaces and uniquely South African subjects.

‘Our Lady of Sorrows’ is a painting where a story is expressed through symbols, expressive mark-making, color and texture. Birds symbolize a connection between the earthly and spiritual realms as does the Madonna herself whose Buddha-like rounded form seems to hover above a lower section of narrative. Another influence here is the Santos folk tradition of New Mexico- simple yet compelling religious artworks. It was painted in response to the untimely loss of my father to cancer.

Maisy Finds A Family is a children’s book about adoption for 3-6 year olds and their grown-ups. The story is inspired by interracial adoption in my South African family. The message is that belonging and familial love transcend appearances.

Explore and celebrate the roles of ‘woman’ and ‘mother’ through a series of goddess images. Influences include the Christian goddess, Mary and creation myths and stories. The series began with a line drawing of a Hindu goddess that was screen printed onto watercolor and pastel paper. From a single matrix- a pantheon of goddesses emerged, including the four elements and some seasons. The results are playful and enigmatic.

I became interested in developing a series to honor masculine energy in the years following a goddess series. The male image symbolizes the intellectual or thinking aspect of our humanity, and as such the god series is created within the framework of a head (or mask) rather than the entire body. Subject is gleaned from world religion, mythology and personal experience.

Starting with many sketches of a Shinto deity, a silk screened image was produced. I then silk screened the image onto a variety of colored pastel papers and worked into them with charcoal, conte and pastels. Similar to the goddess series, a broad variety of gods emerged.

Along with being original artworks these images have been paired with passages that seem to emanate from a masculine figure- instructions from a father, teacher or an advisor- for use in meditation.

I am attracted to the energy and joie de vivre conveyed in figure studies. There is freedom and immediacy in a drawing made quickly. There is no time to question or revise, just to act. The gesture study is the artist’s little performance.