Meet Natasha Papousek | Henna Artist and Painted Paper Collage artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Natasha Papousek and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Natasha, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I was always a creative soul, but I had no idea that I could have a creative career. I was told by my family and career counselors that I should be practical, and do something that has health insurance and a pension. So, I tried to be “practical” I got a degree in International Studies and planned to become a journalist. But the jobs weren’t there when my student loans arrived, and I ended up doing data entry and later became a secretary. I was always the one in the office to design the flyers and create the posters.

I got a henna kit in the mid-90s, and within a few months, friends of friends were inviting me to parties to do henna for them. And my henna business was born. I kept the secretarial day job for another decade until I had the opportunity to take over a facepaint and henna kiosk in Seaport Village. That was a full-time job for about 5 years. When the Port took over the lease, I decided to jump fully into my art and let henna take a back seat.

The more I explore my creative expression, the more I feel I’m living in integrity with who I am meant to be. I always felt out of place as a secretary. When I make art, time slows down, and I feel connected with the wider world.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I make collage paintings using hand-decorated ephemera such as maps, book pages, old recipes, sheet music, etc. The colored paper is my “paint,” and I create celebrations of the places and creatures that make me happy — mostly those close to home.

The lessons learned are about persistence and trying. You can’t succeed if you don’t try. My father was an oil painter but was so paralyzed by fear that he never showed his work to anyone. He died without sharing his work; he didn’t even share it with me! That was a catalyst for me to stop dreaming and start doing.

I started sharing my work from the beginning, and the positive feedback helped keep me going. I also was not afraid to take classes, and take constructive criticism to make my work better. And to just keep working. Even when I’m feeling uninspired. Inspiration often comes during the process of working.

What I love about my collage process is that it encompasses so many skills. I compose the picture, then do a rough painting which tells me what colors I need and where to put them. It’s a scavenger hunt to find the right ephemera to incorporate. Then I paint and print and draw at least layers of color and pattern on each piece. Finally, I get to piece together the puzzle of the collage by tearing my painted paper into little “strokes” and gluing them on top of my painting. It takes weeks, sometimes months, but the results are always better than the vision.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Of course we’d visit Balboa Park for the museums, Zoo and Spanish Village. I also love the San Diego Botanical Garden in Encinitas and the Water Conservation Garden in El Cajon. Mission Trails is a must, and they always have inspiring art in the Visitors Center.

Favorite food places? Coops BBQ in Lemon Grove, Himalayan Cuisine in La Mesa, Aladdin on Clairemont, and Dumpling Inn on Convoy. For fun shopping, I love 99 Ranch and Zion Market.

I love that San Diego is such an international community. You can find just about everything here.

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Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are so many people! Betty Lovegren for allowing me to work with her at Seaport Village, which made me realize there was a life outside the office. Kat Sloma for her postcard project that pushed my art into the world. Yoli Murphy for letting me try painting a portrait of her dog, Pepper, my very first pet portrait. Elizabeth St. Hilaire for her mind-blowing and skill-stretching online classes. All the folks in the Southwestern Artists Association for pushing me to keep learning and honing my craft. Spanish Village Arts Center and the folks in Studio 18 who gave me a home for my art. And to all the county libraries for inviting me to do henna programs and also for the Friend of the Library shops where I get a lot of my collage materials. As well as local, state and national parks such as Anza-Borrego, Cabrillo Tidepools and Mission Trails Regional Park where I recharge my batteries and gather inspiration.

Website: https://www.poppyfishstudio.com

Instagram: @natashapapousek, @hennagrrl

Facebook: natasha-papousek

Other: Studios 18 and 23 in Spanish Village Art Center, Balboa Park

Image Credits
Natasha Monahan Papousek, original artwork and photos