A Day in the Life of Natasha Newton
Natasha Newton
Ever wondered what it’s like to live a day in the life of one of my super-talented artists? Well, here’s your chance to find out! I put a series of questions to my artist Natasha Newton, whose enormously popular painted artworks are inspired by nature, home, and the landscape of the UK. Read on to discover more!
How do you kickstart your day?
“I usually wake up at around 7:00-8:00am (sometimes earlier in the summer) and I like to have a bit of a slow start, so I’ll make a strong cup of tea (milk, one sugar!) and some toast, usually with butter and marmalade or honey. Then I’ll sit with my fiancé Dominic while we have breakfast overlooking the trees in the garden from our window. We often get distracted by the comings and goings of the wildlife in the garden, which includes rabbits, birds of prey, deer, doves, and a little family of foxes. Then I try to deal with some of the daily admin and housework before getting myself ready to spend a few hours painting in the studio.”
Describe your working environment – what sights & sounds are there?
“I work in my home studio in a Victorian country house belonging to Dominic and his family, which overlooks the hills of the North Downs. I feel so lucky to have such an inspiring and beautiful view! In the summer, I open the window and listen to the birdsong while I work. In the winter months, I’ll often light a fire in the little wood burner to make the studio feel warm and cosy.”
What are the biggest challenges you face on a day to day basis?
“The biggest challenge I face on a day-to-day basis is finding enough hours in the day to do everything! Painting takes a lot of time, and on top of that there’s my website and online shop to take care of, orders to package and post, clients and customers to respond to, social media posts and comments to keep up with, YouTube videos to film, a weekly podcast to record with my illustrator friend Mel, to name a few … it never stops!”
What radio station/podcast/audiobooks do you listen to while you work?
“I often listen/watch (mainly listen to, in the background!) YouTube videos while I work; sometimes studio vlogs by other artists, sometimes design, paranormal, or nature-based videos. It all depends on how I’m feeling that day! I’ll occasionally listen to the radio or podcasts as well.”
What makes you smile throughout the day?
“Dominic popping in to see me while I work, lovely comments and messages from my friends and followers online, watching the wildlife outside, and chocolate!”
What keeps you motivated throughout the day?
“Just the fact that I love what I do keeps me motivated! I never forget how fortunate I am to be able to do what I love every day - and get paid for it! I had numerous jobs to make ends meet before I was able to become a full-time artist and illustrator, and it took a lot of hard work to get to where I am now, so I never take it for granted.”
How do you wind down at the end of a long day?
“We often cook a nice meal together at the end of the day, and then tuck ourselves up in bed to watch something funny on the laptop or read for a little while. Anything that takes our minds off work and relaxes us.”
What do you enjoy doing outside of work? What are your hobbies?
“Walking in the countryside, beachcombing along the coast, visiting old buildings, pretty villages, and historic places (we’re National Trust members). I also love visiting London for the day and having a look around the art galleries and shops. Since lockdown I’ve also started baking again, and I’m really enjoying it! Another thing I love to do is to go out for a nice meal, but obviously we haven’t done that for months now – I look forward to when we feel confident enough to do that again.”
Natasha enjoys using acrylic on canvas, and gouache and watercolour on paper to create her original paintings in a style that has been described as ‘sophisticated folk art’.
Contact Jehane to find out more about licensing Natasha Newton’s artwork.
