Natalie Richards
About Natalie…
As a young girl, Natalie Richards was surrounded by the creative endeavors of her parents. Her father enjoyed painting, playing guitar and building model airplanes, while her mother showed her how to draw. Her creativity was encouraged with birthday gifts always including drawing books, pencils, watercolors and crafts. In elementary and middle school she always enjoyed art class, and in high school she was encouraged by her art teacher to enter nearly every art contest. More proficient in pencil drawings and ink at that early age, she discovered pastels in high school. She loved the media and the beautiful colors and softness of the sticks.
Richards studied art in college - from San Bernardino Valley College, where she received her AA in Fine Art. During her transfer to a four-year university, when a college councilor noted her aptitude in science, she was encouraged to get a degree in the science field where she could be independent and marketable. She was told that she would always have her art. She changed her major to Environmental Science and received her BS from the University of California, Riverside. Since 1996 she has worked as an Environmental Analyst/Project Manager which has given her writing and presentation skills that carries over into her success as a pastel artist and instructor today. Since that time, Richards has studied pastels with many artists including Albert Handell, Richard McKinley, Aline Ordman, and Jacob Aguiar, to whom she owes so much.
Zoom link will be provided a few days from this event.