Banks, Natalia

Natalia Banks 

Altered Perspectives 

9x12 

Watercolor & Oil Pastel 

NFS

Bio: "My name is Natalia Banks. I am a 16-year-old girl who was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. I have four siblings; two brothers and two sisters, and I am the second youngest of the five. My love for art started at a young age when I used to watch Bob Ross with my mother and recreate what I saw using crayons and markers. Since then, I have grown to love art that showcases nature and the environment. As I grew up, I started watching cartoons and anime, realizing the vast potential of the field of art. Art can take many forms and has no limits. When it comes to choosing a career for my life, I am sure that I will choose something within the world of art. 

Artist Statement: “Altered Perspectives” represents a fantasy world within the harsh realities of life, an escape from this world to a place where fear, loneliness, and pain don’t exist. It portrays the beauty of uniqueness while redefining "normal". It can transition to fit different perspectives. My intention was to portray a sense of comfort and peace, where nothing goes wrong. A place where I could escape reality in my mind and explore interesting colors and shapes, without sadness. A place where there was no chaos, where I could control and recreate my core memories. When creating this piece, I was going through the most difficult transition of my life, losing my mother. I was incredibly angry and overwhelmingly sad because of my mother’s death. I hated the feeling of being alone and without guidance, it was my biggest fear in life, and it was now my reality. While others feared death, I feared life, because there is no restart or reverse, to bring her or, my father, or my sister back. Though this was something I could not control, I felt unworthy of life. My mom had a kind soul, she helped me find peace in art. She is the reason I am able to keep on living. For half of my life my mom was ill and without care, I felt unworthy of my health while I was able to move around freely. She was in consistent pain. She never complained and always showed up to help me and gave me comfort when I needed it. She made my day when I was sad. She made the struggles of life seem small while always keeping a smile on her face. I try to stay strong for my loved ones that have passed away and the ones that are still alive. They are the ones that help my life story have color and meaning. They are the reason I keep moving and working hard to achieve my goals in this lifetime. I will continue to push myself to move forward, to keep going, to be strong, to become – me.