2
3
Š Nataliette aka Natalie Tan , 2009. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in review.
4
For my mother, father and little sister. For my David. For my best friends Stephy and Matt.
5
Here, Nataliette tries to fake her favourite hairstyle by folding her chin-length bangs above her brows.
6
Artist Biography Nataliette was your typical run-of-the-mill Singaporean in her scholarly pursuits, dreaming of becoming a doctor. One day, in the middle of her pre-university studies, she suddenly realized that she hated the academic path she had taken and upon completing her course, took a great leap of faith and enrolled into a local art school. She held her graduation show in March 2007 at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, displaying a short film she had produced (with two other friends). For the next two years, armed with her diploma in Multimedia and a fresh zest for working in the creative field, Nataliette spent her day time working as a designer for corporate companies. By commercializing her design work, she lost her passion for design, became jaded and eventually left her designer role to seek new adventures in her consistently favourite hobby drawing.
Nataliette was born in Singapore and currently still resides there with many dreams of wanderlust.
7
8
Selected Showcases PUBLISHED IN YEN #39, 2009 Was invited to be featured as a guest illustrator in Yen Magazine (Australia’s #1 women’s magazine). Majority of the illustration work throughout the whole issue was my original artwork. PUBLISHED IN CURVY 6, 2009 Submitted artwork under the pseudonym “The Angry Hedonist” to a prestigious international annual all-girl artbook published by Yen Magazine (Australia’s #1 women’s magazine). Selected to be published in the 6th edition of the CURVY book, quoted to showcase “120 of the most exciting female artists worldwide” as well as to have my artwork exhibited and sold at the book launch. NOISE SINGAPORE CREATIVE SHOWCASE, 2009 Submitted works under the pseudonym “The Angry Hedonist” for local annual creative showcase Noise Singapore, selected amongst 2,000 artists to be published in the Noise art annual as well as shortlisted as one of the 6 artists to paint a mural for the showcase and one of another 6 artists to illustrate on a shoe canvas.
9
10
Artist Statement Nataliette, with her background in design, enjoys telling the world her life’s little stories in her illustrations. She touches on issues big or small: from personal insecurities to fascisms, from self-confessed obsessions to abstract behavioral theories. Often her subjects are in situations where she believes the audience can identify with. She strongly lives and creates by the words of her most revered idol, Oscar Wilde: “To reveal art and conceal the artist is art’s aim / The highest, as the lowest, form of criticism is a mode of autobiography / It is the spectator, and not life, that art really mirrors.”
11
12
Artworks Synopsis My illustrations tell stories of personal experiences. They are re-interpreted selected instances of my exceedingly normal life, no matter how big or small. Despite being selfish in nature, the apparent situations of my illustrations become easily identifiable with anyone: the next door neighbour we never speak to, the stranger we pass by, the acquaintance we lost touch with.
13
14
Conceptual Drawings
15
Fishing for Ideas in a Teacup
i find that teatime & good books always inspires, or at least, precipitates the stirring of a dreaming subconscious.
16
My Poor Sister
i was particularly angry with my sister that day.
17
See-Saw Sweetheart
love can sometimes give us a gilded version of our other halves. she is sweet like sugar, and tied to my heart.
18
Pubertine
the anguish of puberty. growing up hurts. 19
Victimes de la Consommation
one of the many victims of consumption. the chinese use rhinoceros horns for medicinal purposes.
20
Careful with Heels
i have this occuring fear whenever i step outside in my perilous 4 inch heels. i notice the ground i walk upon more, and they are certainly not very friendly to heels!
21
Butt Floss
i still do not understand the appeal. wearing them alone is already such a huge turnoff.
22
Malodorous Melinda
sometimes i get a little too lazy to shower, and this is exactly how i feel.
23
A Gripping Tale
some stories just refuse to let you go back to reality.
24
The Yawning Hippo
i’ve always wondered how big the mouths of hippopotamuses can be.
25
The Queen of Hearts
26
“It Was Like This,� She Said
sometimes, people privately strip you down when they are pretending to be listening. sometimes one feels naked when telling a secret, a confession, or an opinion. this is a story of telling.
27
She Plays an Imaginary Melody
when i was very young, i begged my mama to send me for piano classes. she instead convinced me to learn the organ. the teacher at yamaha music school was a terror to my frightened 4-year-old self. my left pinky was shorter than my other fingers because of a home accident, and i could not successfully press keys that require much stretching of my entire palm. she used to hit my fingers with her ruler. i always went home crying after the weekly onehour lessons. i quit after 8 weeks. i still wish i had persevered, i would love dearly to be able to run my fingers down a keyboard and conjure up a lovely melody.
28
Ma Belle Fille
29
Bird Caged Heart
you say the waiting could crush my heart.
30
The Accused
if it wasn’t me... ‘twas you.
31
Rodarte
i fell in love with Rodarte’s Fall/ Winter 2008 collection.
32
My Valentine
who says love has to be between a man and a woman?
33
A Self Portrait
my mood most of the time. in this country, i really cannot help it.
34
And Jill Came Tumbling After
one of my most favourite nursery rhymes when i was a wee little child.
35
The Aging of Beverly
she yearns to fit in her mother’s beautiful shoes. yet unknown to little miss beverly, the older she grows, the less time she has. for beauty fades‌ all fades‌ in time to come.
36
Uninspired Uma
when my muse is on holiday, i feel like my tools are useless. skills are nothing without ideas.
37
38
Jealously
they could do naught but only watch in envy...
39
Austerity
the continuous disagreement between wants and shouldn’ts.
40
Haircut
is a haircut ever really just a haircut? i always feel nakedness and regret after one.
41
Please Stop The Itch
identifying my blasphemous skin problems.
42
I Want, I Want, I Want every woman loves to get whiny and demanding every now and then.
43
MM, Ice Cream
can a craving mean something more than just this inexplicable desire? perhaps its a coded message from our body, trying to tell us something? indulgence should neither be a sin nor crime.
44
The Failed Violinist
a metaphor for my affinity with music in general. always wished i could play some musical instrument! i had a toy keyboard once and i loved it and made several annoying noises with it all day but it disappeared while i was growing up, but i dont know what happened to it now.
45
46
Do You Like Me A Little Less Unshaved? because sometimes girls get a little bit lazy and should be excused from this! 47
Bring Me Back To Life
my mother used to say this to me: girl, when you fall down, be sure to pick yourself up again. this girl is doing the same.
48
The Futile Womb
sometimes periods make me want to simply rip out my reproductive organ for the momentary sigh of relief from unpredictable moods and aching pains. this is also a statement that females are not simply sows meant to bear children for the sake of reproduction. selfishness is encouraged, especially in the development of ones hobbies and career!
49
Vesture
is she calling someone? is someone calling her? swatting a fly? is someone touching her face? is it too bright outside?
50
My Poor Sister, Part II
the kite, whips about, thrown back and forth at the wind’s every whim and fancy. its unabashed performance of liberation a shadow of her former self. upon finding out she is carrying new life inside of her, she has to she deny herself of her favourite vices and shoulder the burden of expectancy. she must cease her slaphappy ways now. my poor sister.
51
The Songbird
the songbird, shes a fraud. an indication to the pop artistes out there who use more studio magic than vocal prowess to sell albums
52
53
54
Coloured Illustrations
55
Uninspired Uma
56
She Plays An Imaginary Melody
57
“It Was Like This,” She Said
58
The Failed Violinist
59
Vesture
60
Austerity
61
My Poor Sister, Part II (Lo -Fi)
62
63
My Poor Sister, Part II
The Wary and the Thief
the nice one is warning her naughty twin not to steal.
64
65
THE ANGRYillustrations HEDONIST by Nataliette Nataliette, with her background in design, enjoys telling the world her life’s little stories in her illustrations. She strongly lives and creates by the words of her most revered idol, Oscar Wilde: “To reveal art and conceal the artist is art’s aim / The highest, as the lowest, form of criticism is a mode of autobiography / It is the spectator, and not life, that art really mirrors.”
Visit her online portfolio at www.theangryhedonist.com. And she regularly updates her blog with her latest work at www.theangryhedonist.com/blog.
66