Natasha Seedorf

What is the best part of being creative in Carbondale?  

Natasha: I receive so much support and encouragement here in Carbondale, from Carbondale Arts especially but also from people I meet just walking around town. Folks will come up to me and say "Hey- cool earrings! or "Nice necklace" and I think "Oh, I truly belong here" because I feel seen and appreciated for what I do.

What motivates or inspires you and your work? 

Natasha: I think the biggest motivators are my fellow artists. I teach at the CMC and my students are my community in many ways- they pose questions and present technical problems to me and together we get to figure out how to make a unique piece from objects that they have found. They also give me some amazing material to work with. I have been gifted chunks of amber, bits of corral, rusty nails, squirrel tails and most recently a desiccated ferret- I am sooooo excited to see what I can make with that!

Where can we see your work? 

Natasha: For the larger neck pieces and art jewelry you will have to come by my studio. I am showing stuff by appointment. That's because I do not have a show up at the moment. I hope to show some stuff at the Art Base (fingers crossed ) next year. I also have some smaller pieces at The Launchpad Artique and at the Anderson Ranch Art Center Boutique. I'm looking to expand where I show my work so if anyone has any ideas.....

What projects are coming up? 

Natasha: I'm really eager to expand the body of work that was presented in my last solo show at the R2 Gallery here in Carbondale. The show was titled "Intimate Geographies,” and it was a collection of found objects and metal work that I had been collating for the last three years. 

Since that show I have collected a lot more precious and tender objects and have been experimenting with different ways to attach, preserve and present them. Right now, I am challenged with how to present several song bird skulls I collected back in October of 2020. Juxtaposed against a precious metal and set next to some faceted gemstones, I hope to show them in such a way that an observer might see just how valuable and important our beautiful wild creatures are and maybe be encouraged to protect them.