Natasha Rodrigue

I have always been drawn to create. From a very early age I was surrounded by art materials and had creative freedom to explore art. I have always loved drawing, painting and arts and crafts. My school teachers and principals recognized my talents. They would involve me in special projects and my parents were told to enroll me in special art schools but I ignored that because I was gifted athletically too and became an elite athlete in my teens. While I trained, I stayed connected with art by painting landscapes as gifts, created my own comic book sketches, created clothes to keep up with fashion and sketched family members. When studying sciences didn’t work out in college I assessed my talents and changed paths to study fashion because I was good at drawing and sewing. I had my first real art lessons in college and the focus was on the figure, body and fabrics using different mediums and I loved it! I graduated, began working in the fashion industry and was married a few years later. Since the creative jobs were less stable, I made a decent living on digitizing patterns, applying grading and marker making and became successful in my job but took leave after having my children to raise them and never returned. Until I had children, I drew bridal wear and created tiaras, veils and even made jewelry as a hobby! I passed on my love of sports and art to my children and would eventually volunteer my time at their school. As my children became more independent, I could finally focus more on myself again. I used yoga and art journaling to rehabilitate and reconnect with myself on all levels while I gained my strength back after surviving a cancer ordeal. It was therapeutic and it unblocked my creativity. I became a certified yoga teacher in 2020 so I could help others. I began teaching watercolour painting to children and since then, I’m on a quest to keep learning and developing myself. Today, I am grateful to be healthier than ever and have learned that I am happiest when I have a balance of both art and yoga in my life. This year, I’m excited to study; faces, portraiture, perspective architectural drawing and watercolour paints!