Natalie Ray is a watercolor and 24 karat gold leaf artist who primarily focuses on portraits of musicians and dancers, and local wilderness.  Natalie was born and raised in the Sierra Foothills in Northern California, where the unique scenery of Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Mountains was a constant inspiration.  At age 21, Natalie made the move to downtown San Francisco, where her popular travel blog allowed her to live as a full-time graphic artist and designer, while continuing to work on her dream of becoming a full-time painter. Watercolor painting has always been a passion for Natalie but she truly developed her skill as an artist while living in Barcelona, Spain in 2013-2014. There she attended watercolor courses and attended multiple artist retreats, including a residency in the Eixample district. Not long after returning to the States, Natalie married her musician husband, Justin Ray, at the beautiful Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco.  In late 2014, Natalie and Justin moved to Asheville, North Carolina to join the thriving community of artists and musicians.  Currently, Natalie lives and paints in Asheville with Justin, and their three young children, Wyatt, Wesley, and Daisy.

Artist Statement:
I have lived my life with a generous amount of spontaneity, and I keep that rhythm at the forefront of my work. I am most inspired by my immediate surroundings: the eclectic musical community in Asheville, and the backdrop of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains that surrounds it.

In my portrait paintings, I use the contrasting duo of watercolor and 24 karat gold to feature the improvisation within the human form, and the way the music and life comes from deep within the soul of the subject.