Amazing art projects can come from talented people on a normal day. But what happens when talented people have a lot more free time on their hands during a quarantine? For artist Nathalie Lete, the answer is simply a masterpiece.
It doesn’t take long to look through Nathalie’s Instagram to see how creative and talented she is. She has a history of creating beautiful works of art from even common household objects with her brushes and paints. So hearing that a painter is painting to cope with social distancing isn’t a surprise. The real surprise is learning that her country home outside of Paris is her canvas.
A House of Colors
Nathalie’s home was originally purchased three years ago, according to recent interviews about her art. Her home is an hour outside of Paris in a little village next to the Loing river and the forest of Fountainebleau. She always intended on transforming her home into a botanical wonderland with colorful floral designs on every surface. That means doors, walls, staircases, even furniture would have her artistic touch to fit her personal blooming style.
She knew, that making her dream home come true would start by painting her home white. This would give her a canvas to work from while keeping her from letting pre-existing color from influencing her design. Once the home was white, it would be like a blank page ready to be filled with a floral pattern. When asked about this process, Nathalie had this to say:
“The first year we lived in a totally white house,” I then started painting all of the details whenever I had the time. Now, due to the confinement, I’ve had two full months to focus on painting the walls.”
With two months to focus on her creation, Nathalie went far beyond her original plans to create something wonderful. Doors, ceilings, stairs, walls, cushions, and even fabrics were painted to have the blooming flower design that she dreamed of. Nathalie’s work created, what she described, “A Nest that’s totally filled with my art.”
Where it all Came From
You might be wondering where the inspiration for this project came from. She may have been inspired by folk art including houses in Zalipie, Poland or the house of Maud Lewis and Charleston’s houses in England. Each of these homes were similarly painted inside and out to fit the personality and tastes of their owners. For creative and inspired homeowners like these, a home is happiest when it reflects their truest selves.
Nathalie also notes some influence from the streets in the souk of Tangier, Morroco, where teenagers paint to embellish the area and express themselves. Wherever Nathalie’s inspiration came from, one thing is clear, she appreciates the embellishments that color can bring to a person’s life. She even explains:
“I like the idea of embellishing very simple places and things, like a room or its furniture, just by adding a bit of color and naive motives,”
Can Never Plan for Art
No one expected the effects of the current crisis, especially that they would have to deal with two months of social distancing. But that didn’t stop Nathalie from creating her dream home. She always knew what she wanted to do, but it was originally intended to be a long term project to fill in the small breaks in her schedule.
But don’t think for a moment that Nathalie had an exact plan for her project. She is very improvisational in her talents, creating beautiful images that come to her at the moment. She handled every corner of her project piece-by-piece so that she could learn from her mistakes. She enjoys the spontaneity of designing by her own whims, and the results are very obvious when you see her portfolio of work in her home and on her Instagram page.
She even had this to say about possible mistakes:
“Even if I did something that I no longer like, there are no plans to rush, no stress, I can cover it the next day by simply painting over.”
Homemade Masterpiece
This kind of improv painting has certainly drawn a lot of attention on Nathalie’s social media page. Artists and art lovers alike have messaged her with overflowing amounts of support. Her work shows that you don’t have to go to the museum to appreciate amazing art.
What kind of art would you create in your home?
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