Last Event for 2024

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I just wanted to send out a quick note to let you know that I will be doing something a little different this weekend… I am crossing the pond and heading to North Vancouver! You will be able to find me and my whales at the North Van Arts Council’s CityScape ArtSpace located at 335 Lonsdale Ave this weekend from 11am-4pm as part of their Last Minute Market. This is a free event and is running on the last weekend of their Anonymous Art Show. So if you come, you will be able to see the show as well! 🙂

THANK YOU!

I am so grateful to everyone for coming out to markets these this past month and a bit to say “hello”, support my art practice, share your whale stories with me and connect. I love being able to see you in person! My heart is so full! Thank you 🙂

Update: Also, thank you to everyone that registered for my upcoming Jellyfish workshop at the Vancouver Island School of Art in February….. it is now FULLY booked! If you were hoping to take this workshop, please contact the art school as they are currently taking a wait list.

Watercolour Fall Leaves

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Fall is my favourite season. Especially this part of fall. The time when leaves are equally on and off the trees. Earlier this year when I was brainstorming workshop ideas, I kept finding myself dreaming of fall.

Last Saturday I had the pleasure of instructing my newest workshop: Watercolour Fall Leaves. I tried to pick a Saturday when I thought there would be lots of peaking fall leaves, and I could not have been happier with the timing! When it comes to nature, it is always a bit of a guessing game. This past week the leaves have been just bursting with colour and basically begging me to take them to class.

It was so much fun collecting leaves for this workshop!

If you haven’t been to the Vancouver Island School of Art (VISA), I recommend checking it out. They often have art openings or art lectures happening and the Executive Director, Wendy Welch, writes fantastic articles in the VISA newsletter. The classroom is big enough for each student to have a table to themselves, so you can spread out and get comfortable. Here is a pre-workshop photo. I love the anticipation! Having everything laid out and waiting for the participants to arrive.

Sometimes it’s hard to know what to paint or draw on demand, but I firmly believe that if you walk around the block or go to a park or the ocean… you can be flooded with creative inspiration if you let yourself! Fall leaves are a perfect example of this.

If you look through a collection of leaves and study them carefully, you will find that they are not perfect. They are often gimpy, missing bits, have holes and tears, and not as symmetrical as you had previously thought. They are full of character! This is what makes them the perfect subject matter to draw or paint.

We covered a lot of ground in this three-hour workshop. The participants created a series of six, 5″x7″ watercolours of leaves. The projects included utilizing positive and negative space, observational painting, creating patterns, simplified shapes and also using design methods, like a circle, to create a pleasing composition. We also discussed the importance of neutralizing colours to achieve natural fall-like colours. Below are some photos from the workshop.

Thank you to all the participants for coming to this workshop and making it such an enjoyable afternoon!

To avoid being put on a wait list, I have created a Workshop Notification List! If you join this list, I will send you an email as soon as registration is live so that you have as much time as possible to register. My next workshop will be early next year (and if you like ink and jellyfish… you are going to like this class). If you want to join the list, please send me an email (tasha_van_netten@hotmail.com) or send me a message through my contact form here.

Up Coming Events

HOLIDAY MARKETS!

I am getting ready for holiday markets—starting this coming weekend!

I’ll be bringing calendars, greeting cards, stickers, wire whales, bookmarks and more.

For a full list of the different markets that I will be at and a little information about each one, please check out my MARKETS page by clicking here.

EXHIBITIONS!

In-Sights exhibition at arc.hive

I will be exhibiting some work at the In-Sights show at arc.hive artist run centre as part of their yearly members exhibition (of which I have the pleasure of being a part of as a board member). This exhibition is about studio practice and giving an “insight” behind the scenes. I have created four, small botanical paintings for this show (the above image is a sneak peek of one of them).

The opening reception is this Friday (November 1) from 7-9pm. Gallery hours are 12-4pm Saturdays and Sundays for the next three weeks. I will be volunteering at the gallery this Sunday from 12-4pm. For more information, click here.

Winter Small Works Show at the AGGV

The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria’s annual Winter Small Works Show & Sale is opening November 14th. This is show celebrates artists local to Victoria and Vancouver Island and shows a wide range of small works. I am pleased to be showing Transient Shadows as part of this exhibition (see image above).

Opening Reception is Thursday, November 14, from 5-8pm, with artists in attendance. Stop by for a glass of wine, browse a dynamic range of artworks at accessible price points, and help the AGGV kickstart the winter season of celebrating local artists.

Show & Sale runs until January 25, 2025. Admission to the Massey Sales Gallery is always free.

For more information, click here.

Whales & Water

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A few years ago I was thinking about how to draw water. Often I think of water as being clear, so if I draw a whale swimming on a white page, I assume the water is implied. However, what if I wanted to draw water? In reality, the ocean is not clear at all—especially here in British Columbia. Our ocean is thick and soupy. It is often dark green or black or teal. There are millions of tiny “bits” floating in it. Microscopic organisms zooming around, living their lives. Eating, being eaten, multiplying. Have you heard of “marine snow”? It is another component in this sea stew. It’s made of small pieces of organic matter and detritus, suspended and slowing making its way to the sea floor. Basically, water is complicated.

But how does one draw water? I decided the best thing to do would be to go to the source.

I call this ongoing series ‘dissolve’ because, the drawn whales often look like they are becoming part of the water itself. My process is experimental—incorporating layers of seawater with my drawing. In a way, these works are collaborative, but the natural elements always seem to have the final say. As with most experimental artworks, there is an element of giving up control and preconceived notions of how I think the drawing should look. The end results are always a surprise.

I continued to work on these drawings while I attended an art residency in Iceland in January of 2020. While there, I experimented using seawater from the Greenland Sea. I also explored incorporating other natural elements, including snow, freezing temperatures, wind and sea spray. Because this process directly introduces elements from a specific location, I feel like the drawings merge between art and record… almost becoming a “specimen” of the watery habitat.

Ink & seawater drawing under microscope

I have been thinking about those countless, tiny, suspended “bits” that drift through the water column. I know that they are embedded in the drawing, because while water will evaporate, the matter will not. Thinking about this brought me to the conclusion that I should try looking at these drawings under a microscope to see if I could find what was left behind. Covering one eye, and squinting through the view finder, I saw a whole new world open up to me. The texture of the watercolour paper seemed to catch flecks of… undetermined stuff (I am not really sure what) and acted as the base for jagged mountains and ridges—sea salt crystal formations. I was able to take pictures with my camera, which, because of the circular shape, no longer look microscopic… but planetary and otherworldly. A drawing within a drawing.

This summer I have been continuing to work on this series. I enjoy how the ink and seawater interact differently every time: how the water creates eddies, tides, currents and natural patterns across the pages. These whales no longer seem suspended in the air, but interact with their environment—weaving in and out of the water. The results leave me thinking about motion and how whales actually move the water around them with their bodies. Art leaves me with so many questions and things to ponder. One idea prompts another, and so on.

Sometimes life feels too busy to take time to do the things you enjoy… however, I have discovered a secret trick for tackling this: turn it a project. This way I automatically give myself permission to prioritize time. After all, its a project! Lately I have been feeling the desire to dedicate more time to continuing the dissolve drawing series… so it became my summer project this year. 🙂

Mini promo: I am excited to share that a selection of my dissolve drawings will be featured in my 2025 calendar: Whales & Water. I will be printing a limited run next week. See the images before for details. If you would like to join my Pre-order List, send me a message or an email on natashavannettendesigns@gmail.com before September 22!

Smoke on the Water & Lucky Orca Socks

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I love that you usually can’t see whales under the surface. Maybe this isn’t a ground-breaking revelation, that water reflects and hides what’s below, but this mysteriousness never ceases to capture my curiosity and imagination. The sea often feels barren and void of life, but you really don’t know what could suddenly break through the surface and come into sight.

I recently had the opportunity to do a lot of thinking about water veiling whales while I was volunteering with Straitwatch—a marine mammal monitoring and education program. A big part of what they do is warn boaters about whales in the immediate area and then educate them (the boaters that is, not the whales) about what to do and how to safely share the water. If you are curious about the regulations for watching whales (like how far away you should be and what speed you can go), check out this page on DFO.

We spent the day along San Juan Island, USA. I learned that there is an active community of land-based whale watchers on the island, and to prove it, they were on the scene before we were. If you ever have the opportunity to see whales from land, it really is an incredible experience. It is the least invasive way to see whales and you don’t have to think about your proximity or speed. Lately there have been lots of sightings of Bigg’s killer whales off Victoria, so I am hoping to see some from land again soon.

I sure am glad I put on my lucky orca socks that morning (thank you to my whale artist friend in Taiwan, Fan Han-Yun)… because this was the first time I’ve ever seen Southern Resident killer whales! It was amazing to finally witness this struggling population that I have heard about, read about, and made art about for many years. The orcas we saw were part of J pod. They seemed relaxed to me. Not in a rush. Just doing their thing. We stayed well back, flew our ‘whale warning’ flag and educated boaters in the immediate area. It surprised me how easy it is not to see whales or know where they are, even when I know they are there in front of me. They spend more time under water then above, so I guess it makes sense that they can be illusive.

I want to leave you with a few pictures from this day. Orcas are perfection in everything: colour, form, complexity. To see their sharp, striking bodies break the surface is almost unbelievable. On top of seeing the Southern Residents for the first time, this day really felt like a dream as wild fire smoke was heavy in the atmosphere, tinting the sky and water (and yes, I had ‘Smoke on the Water’ stuck in my head all day long… dun, dun, dunnnn…).

In this first photo, you can see Victoria behind the orca

Thank you to everyone who came to the AGGV Paint In event! I had the best day! It was such a pleasure to see so many new and familiar faces, friends and family (some coming as far as Vancouver). Apparently 40,000 people attended this event! Phew! My heart is filled with joy to have this opportunity to share my work, talk about whales and make connections. Thank you for supporting and encouraging local artists ♥

P.S. Part of what made this day so great was because I got to spend all of it with my favourite person. Thanks for the help, babe!

Oh, and one last thing…

I wanted to give you a heads up that my final workshop for 2024 will be happening Saturday, Oct 26 at the Vancouver Island School of Art (VISA) here in Victoria. If you are interested in joining, I recommend heading over to the the VISA website so you can view the full workshop description and registration information. Registration just opened up and it is already half full. 🙂

Imaginative Nature Drawing Workshop

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I had the great pleasure of instructing a drawing workshop at Shawnigan Lake School last week as part of the MISSA 2024 programing. This two-day workshop was called Imaginative Nature Drawing and involved drawing with graphite, ink and watercolour.

I enjoyed preparing the projects, slide shows and content for this weekend and was reminded again of just how important imagination is. It helps us handle stress, achieve goals, maintain a positive outlook, grow our problem solving skills, strengthen our brains and even can help us live longer. Imagination is considered a skill, which means we can strength and build it through practice.

One way to activate our imagination is through creating combinations. During one of the workshop projects, the participants drew plants outside… but with a twist. They were to draw a variety of botanical species plein air (drawing outside) as though each plant were a twig sprouting from the same branch. The resulting drawings were whimsical yet also felt reminiscent of historical botanical illustrations. I love how each drawing turned out so unique!

Another way to help boost our imagination is to find a fresh perspective. Such as, in this workshop, creating “botaniquariums”. Observational drawing allows us to immerse ourselves in the natural world and make discoveries. “Oh! I didn’t realize that _____”. “I’ve never noticed that ____ had ____ before.” It is amazing what you will see when you pay attention by looking. There are endless drawing possibilities within each microcosm the participants created.

It was a full weekend of focus, creativity and community. For lunch we meet at the dining hall to eat together, which was catered by Shawnigan Lake School. This was an good halfway break in the day as it offered the opportunity to connect with other MISSA people, share about the projects we have been working on and recharge for the afternoon. At the end of the day many of us walked to the lake (which was just across the street) and cooled down with a well deserved dip. I have always been a summer camp person, and this type of an art retreat, where you have the opportunity to sleep over, eat together and enjoy the grounds, very much suites me. I am already looking forward to next year!

Plein air drawing by the pond at Shawnigan Lake School

Before I end this post, I also wanted to share the final project from our weekend: microramas. This project used imagination to problem solve as the participants created shadow boxes that incorporated three mystery words in some way or form. I would also like to say a big thank you to my friend Shirley for giving me with her mint tin collection. It was a fun way to end the workshop! 🙂

World Ocean Week Victoria Event

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Hello everyone! I just wanted to send out a short announcement about an event I will be doing for World Ocean Week. Registration just went live today! Space is limited.

Low Tide Sketching Class with Natasha van Netten

  • Date & time: Saturday June 8 from 10am-12:30pm
  • Age requirement: 16+
  • Location: The workshop will meet at a public beach access area with tidal pools located in Victoria (participants will be given location information upon registration)
  • Registration fee: $30.00 per person
  • Workshop size: 12 students max (minimum 4 students)

Click here to view the registration page

Workshop Description:

This plein air (outside) nature drawing workshop focuses on drawing marine organisms found at low tide. Take a little time to slow down from this fast-paced world and discover the joy of paying close attention to nature as you draw. Natasha van Netten, the instructor, will begin the workshop with an introduction to observational drawing, safe handling of organisms, drawing techniques and present the drawing projects. Have fun exploring the inter-tidal zone while you search for interesting specimens to draw. You might just be surprised by the discoveries you will make while closely observing intertidal creatures.

Suitable for all skill levels.

For this workshop, participants are required to bring basic supplies that can be found at home. Please reference the Supply List (upon registration) for a complete list of what you should bring to be prepared for this workshop.

New Public Installation & a Peek into my Process

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My newest installation work, Depth Sounding, is now on public display at the Cedar Hill Recreation Centre (3220 Cedar Hill Road, Victoria, BC). It will be in this location until April 28th during open hours: weekends 8am-9pm, weekdays 6:30am-10pm. This installation is located in the hallway just past the reception desk and across from the art gallery space. For more images and to read the artist statement for Depth Sounding, click here.

A peek inside my installing process

Installing at the Ministry of Casual Living Window Gallery (2020)

Incase you might be curious, I thought I would take a moment to share a little about the behind the scenes of art installation. First, I want you know how much I enjoy installation art. I love the challenges that come from working within specific spaces and it is really interesting to see how art can take on new layers of meaning from the surrounding environment.

Over the years, I have come to realize that every installation project is its own adventure and, while I have learned a few tips and tricks along the way, when it comes to preparing to installations… very often you just can’t know what to expect. For this reason I always make sure to have extra supplies and tools with me just in case. The Boy Scouts are on to something good, “Be prepared.”

Often installations require spending time in awkward positions, squeezing into tight spaces, standing on ladders or laying on the floor. You really can’t worry what people passing by might think. A sense of humour helps make this part easier! Earlier this week, as I was installing Depth Sounding, I surprised a few people who were walking down the hall way, peering inside the inset cube spaces when all of a sudden… BAM! There was my face inside a cube! All you can do is smile and carry on. 🙂

Pre-numbered artworks organized and ready for installation
Distribution of artworks in cubes before installing

For this particular installation I had a fairly short window of time to install. This is where being organized really pays off in helping reduce stress and pressure. While I always do my best to have a clear plan, it is also important to be ready to adapt.

Below is an image of the map I drew so I would know which whales go in each cube (you can see it folded and taped to the shelving in the photo above). The numbers in the corners corresponded to paper bags that contained the whales for that space. I had to reverse the order of the cubes because this space is accessed from behind, not in front. It took a couple tries before I figured out how to do the map, but it was really worth the extra effort.

Reversed Installation Map

Installation Complete

Also at the Cedar Hill Recreation Centre

The current exhibition in the art gallery space, The Art of Mental Wellness: Unveiling the Wisdom of Wonderland, by Amy Frank is also free and open to the public. It focuses on mental wellness and documents Amy’s journey and struggles. Please be advised, it deals with some heavy subject matter and is rated PG-13.

The Second Chance Café is operated by survivors of brain injury in partnership with the Cridge Centre for the Family. Serving homemade baked goods, sandwiches, coffee and tea. Open Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 3pm.

Why Ink Will Make You a Better Person (and Artist)

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I made a discovery a while back: not striving for perfection is freeing (and you will make better art). This is why I love ink. As you may or may not know, I used to struggle with perfectionism. Not wanting to make a mistake and getting caught in a cycle of clicking the back button: draw, erase…draw, erase…draw, erase.

The world that we live in promotes hyper perfectionism. Photoshopped advertisements, influencers’ flashy life hack stories, plastic lawns that stay green all year, etc. You can even buy a phone now that will compile multiple group shots to make sure everyone is looking their best (no blinking, double chins or crying babies).

Let me propose an alternative view. Rather than eliminating imperfections, flaws and rough edges… why not appreciate their inherent beauty? Things that are plastic might look perfect, but they are all the same. Things that are one of a kind have value, offering something unique and special. Something that cannot be replicated.

When I realized perfectionism was ruining the feeling of joy I found in making art, I knew I needed to break the habit. That’s when I exchanged the pencil for the pen. It was hard to make that first mark on the page, knowing that I couldn’t go back. But it was also freeing! I knew I had to give up the level of control I used to cling to. Drawing with ink helped improve my drawing by learning to loosen up and gain confidence, but it also helped me grow as a person and overcome mental hang ups I had with perfectionism. It helped me change how I look at “mistakes”, from “it’s a disaster, let’s start over” to “oops, I didn’t mean to do that… I wonder how I can use this”.

This isn’t a new idea, its an old one. In Japan, there is an ancient philosophy called ‘wabi-sabi’, which puts value on the simple, modest and imperfect. Sometimes imperfections are not only embraced, but elevated and highlighted. For example, ‘kintsugi’ is a practice of using gold to join broken objects–like a cracks in tea cup.

I owe a debt of gratitude to ink and the lessons I have learned from it. But it is even more than that…. ink opens a world of tantalizingly beautiful, swirling, dripping, flowing possibilities. It has a mind of its own and will take you an a visual journey if you let it. This is what the workshop I instructed this past weekend was about (which is why these thoughts are all stirred up in my mind right now). It was the fist time that I walked through the doors of the Vancouver Island School of Art as an instructor. This is the art school that I graduated from in 2016. It feels a little full-circle to go back and lead a workshop and I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity. I thought you might enjoy a little glimpse into our three hours of inky exploration, so here are a few images from the workshop.

Fantastical Jellyfish Workshop: Drawing with Ink & Water

You’re Invited to My Newest Exhibition: Orcaphilia

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I am pleased to announce that my latest exhibition will be opening this Friday, January 12, from 7-9pm at arc.hive artist run centre (770b Hillside Avenue, opposite from Meet on Blanchard). This show will be open on weekends between 12-4pm and by appointment until the end of the day on Sunday January 28th. I will be in the gallery during open hours. Included in this show will be a new series of oil paintings, three installation pieces and public engagement piece where you are invited to contribute your own thoughts/stories about orcas. I will be present in the gallery space during all open hours. Please contact me if you would like to arrange a time to see the show outside of gallery hours. I hope you will be able to come and visit the show.

About the Exhibition

Orcaphilia is an exploration of Natasha van Netten’s admiration and curiosity towards orca. This dynamic collection of paintings, drawings and installations are influenced by her personal experiences and by discoveries made in the field of cetology (the study of whales). While orcas are powerful creatures, they are also vulnerable. The works in this exhibition highlight this duality of strength and fragility. 

Opening Reception Friday January 12, 7-9pm

Gallery hours Weekends 12-4pm, January 13-28, 2024

Location arc.hive artist run centre, 770b Hillside Avenue, Victoria, BC

This event is free and everyone is welcome!

Fall/Winter Events

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I am excited to be participating in a few holiday markets and participating in a group exhibition (which opens tonight! Scroll to the bottom of the page for info)! Markets are such a lovely way to feel part of the community, meet local artists and makers and many of them are also fundraising for charities. I am always grateful for the opportunity to connect in person and I would love it if you were able to pop by and say hello.

Also, I have a few Feeding Giants Postcard 2024 Calendars still available and will be bringing them along to the markets (while they last).

MARKETS

November 4: Holiday Handmade
Located at Mayfair Mall
10am-6pm, free entry
Click here for more info

November 5: Fall Fling
Located at the Bay Centre
11am-5pm, free entry
Click here for more info

November 10-12: Nomad Holiday Market
Located at the Songhees Wellness Centre
Friday 4pm-8pm
Saturday from 10am-6pm
Sunday 11am-4pm
$5 entry (or $8 for the weekend)
Proceeds go to the Victoria Cool Aid Society
Click here for more info

November 25: Handmade Village Craft Market
Located at North Douglas Church
10am-4pm, free entry
Click here for more info

December 2 & 3: Winter Bazaar
Located at the Gorge Park Pavilion
11am-5pm
Click here for more info

ART EXHIBITIONS

Segue
This is a group exhibition of work by arc.hive studio members and board members at their new location at 770b Hillside Avenue. I am participating in this exhibition as a member of the board.
Opening Reception: Friday November 3, 7pm-9pm
Exhibition dates: Saturdays & Sundays between 12pm-4pm, November 4-19, 2023
Click here for more info