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Arts & Entertainment

Local Artist Overcomes Adversity

Local artist, Natalie Alleyne, becomes a successful artist despite difficult times early on in her life.

Artists have always had trouble making a living doing what they love. Unlike most of the populace, they have to hold a day job to afford to do what they really want. This takes conviction and the spirit to never give up. Local artist, Natalie Alleyne, is lucky to have both or she never would have made it to where she is today.

Alleyne graduated the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan in 1980 and soon moved to St. Martin after a post-graduation vacation there. The tropics influenced her with the sights, sounds and people that were all new and exciting.

“The island life, the colors, the texture, it very much resounds in my work,” says Alleyne. This influence, coupled with her love of Spanish painter, Picasso, can be seen in many of her pieces.

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When asked what triggered the desire to become an artist, Alleyne explains that there never was a time when she didn’t want to paint.

“I’ve always, always knew it was something I wanted to do. I was born knowing.”

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To illustrate the point, Alleyne says that at three years old she was reprimanded by her pre-school teacher because she wanted to paint and do nothing else in school.

She says the teacher told her, “‘You can’t do that anymore. If you are going to do that I’m going to make you stand in a corner.’ She wanted to make me stand in a corner because I wanted to paint.” She now laughs about the absurdity of the situation but was extremely upset at the time.

By third grade she had learned to cope with school only to be accused of plagiarism.

“She slapped me,” says Alleyne when she presented a pastel drawing to her third grade Catholic school teacher. The teacher said to her, “'How dare you take credit from a professional artist?’ I’d brought it from home and she slapped me.”

The teacher then forced Alleyne to do another painting there in the classroom to prove she had done the first one.

Only the support of her mother got her through these trying formative years.

However, Alleyne would finally triumph on her own in high school. During her freshman year at Bayside High School in Queens, Alleyne applied for the High School of Art and Design in Manhattan. She was rejected and for the first time really waivered on her abilities as an artist.

“I said, ‘Maybe I need help with my portfolio.’ I went to my teacher and I said ‘Can you help me with my portfolio?’ And she, literally, went like this.’”

Alleyne motions flipping through the portfolio brusquely.

“‘Well, I can tell you right now don’t even bother to apply because you’re not going to get in. You’re not good enough.’ She hadn’t even looked at my work.”

Insulted by the teacher’s dismissive attitude Alleyne swore she would get into the school.

“I said, ‘Not only am I going to get in, when I get in I am going to take my acceptance letter and put it on your desk.’” True to her word Alleyne made it into the High School of Art and Design and cartwheeled into her former art teacher’s room to show her the acceptance letter.

Alleyne has since been in several hundred shows and exhibitions over the course of her 15 year professional painting career. She says she averages about 30 to 40 shows per year and sells paintings privately to collectors as well.

Alleyne’s work can next be seen at Rose Squared Productions’ Fine Arts & Crafts at Anderson Park in Montclair on September 17th and 18th where it will be on display
alongside several other exhibitors.

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