New Yorkers + Their Apartments: Artist & Model Natalia Bieganska | Interview by London Red
Natalia’s front room features her striped artwork and hand-made table in her Tribeca apartment.
Natalia and I met at a model casting. She came into the studio and laughed and smiled in front of my camera, effortlessly sweet and beautiful, she spoke about being an artist. She lit up when talking about her paintings and artwork. From Kalisz, Poland, Natalia modeled in New York and travels to Japan once a year, inspired by the country and its culture. Now focusing full time on her art, she finds much of her inspiration for her artwork from her travels around the world. I’m excited to share with you all a look into her Tribeca apartment and art studio.
-London Red
“The pieces featured in this editorial are compositions of colors and shapes. I am inspired by stripy fabric and how this simplest of patterns changes with the smallest movement.”
Interview: Natalia Bieganska, Artist & Model from Poland
Interview + Photography by: London Red
Name: Natalia Joanna Bieganska
Where are you right now: NYC
What time is it: 10:40 pm
Currently wearing: AllSaints sweater and Le Labo
What is your career: Artist/ Model with my Bachelors Degree in Design and Fashion
Music you love: Depends on the occasion, from classical music to minimal techno
Where are you from: Kalisz, Poland
New York to you: Infinity of opportunities
Art:
“It’s an inner calling. It just makes me feel so good and connected with myself, and disconnected from everything redundant.”
London Red: How would you describe your art?
Natalia: “The pieces featured in this editorial are compositions of colors and shapes. I am inspired by stripy fabric and how this simplest of patterns changes with the smallest movement. I love the endless shapes that appear each time I move around or throw the fabric in the air. I take photographs of it and the ones that spark an idea become a collage and finally the painting. This technique leads me to create large works, some of them also become diptychs. I use acrylic paint and oil based markers and often a metal leaf on the edges of the canvas. Large parts of the canvas are painted with masking technique and the stripes are painted free hand.”
London Red: How do you want people to feel when they see your artwork?
Natalia: “They should feel whatever they feel looking at it. It’s definitely the right feeling.”
Natalia working on her art in her Tribeca apartment.
London Red: What makes you want to paint?
Natalia: “It’s an inner calling. It just makes me feel so good and connected with myself, and disconnected from everything redundant."
Natalia: “Besides what you saw at my studio, most of my other works are fictional portraits. The faces I make reflect the feelings between being on set and behind the scenes of everyday life. The main medium of the portraits are ballpoint pen, black ink and watercolor on paper. The nature of those pieces is totally experimental in the character of imaginary people appearing thought the layers of ink and watercolor.”
Natalia in her apartment wearing her favorite grey sweater. Striped wall designs by Natalia.
“The faces I make reflect the feelings between being on set and behind the scenes of everyday life.”
London Red: What inspires your art?
Natalia: “Travels. The vast differences in geographies and people and the multitude of colors and patterns each country has to offer. They all find their footprint in my artworks.
Self:
London Red: What’s your favorite quote?
Natalia: “I am going to have a party and no one is invited but me.. Referring to my art studio time.”
London Red: Something that makes you smile?
Natalia: “My own silly mistakes, as long as they’re not annoying.”
London Red: Describe yourself in 3 words:
Natalia: “Hopeful, persistent, astronaut.”
London Red: Beauty products you love?
Natalia: “La Mer and Dr Hauschka.”
London Red: How do you show yourself self love?
Natalia: “The Spa.”
London Red: Dream destination?
Natalia: “Japan, always.”
Home:
Natalia sitting on her couch with an original painting hanging on wall.
London Red: Favorite spot in your home?
Natalia: “Definitely my studio.”
London Red: Morning beverage of choice?
Natalia: “Cup of water and a cappuccino.”
London Red: What are your dreams?
Natalia: “My dreams are to succeed as an artist. Live and create 3 months a year in Japan 3 months a year in Europe and 3 in America. The remaining 3 months I want to explore places I haven’t been to yet."
Pictured above: Natalia and Yoko, her South Korean rescue dog.
New York:
Above: Natalia standing in her doorway, on top of her rooftop, the Manhattan skyline and her lobby.
London Red: What’s your New York neighborhood?
Natalia: Tribeca
London Red: What makes a home?
Natalia: “Art supplies, good coffee, a comfortable bed and my dog.”
Natalia in her apartment Lobby
London Red: What do you like about your area of town?
Natalia: “Friends in my neighborhood, good restaurants and cute coffee shops.”
London Red: What are your favorite New York spots?
Natalia: “I love walking around SoHo, long walks by the river and central park in the summer. Also, anywhere with live jazz!”
London Red: Favorite New York restaurant?
Natalia: “Estella, Sushi Nakazawa.”
London Red: Museum or art gallery?
Natalia: “In NYC I love going to MOMA and the Whitney, also New Museum. They are all great, it’s NYC!”
London Red: Where is a place you could spend hours?
Natalia: “Nature, my art studio. Preferably my art studio in nature.”
London Red: Favorite play:?
Natalia: “Edith Piaf. It was the first play I saw and I went to see it over 10 times. Back in my hometown my uncle was an actor and he was the one who introduced me to the theater when I was 13. I was there almost everyday.”
Standing on the rooftop overlooking Manhattan, NY.
STYLE:
London Red: What is your favorite piece of clothing?
Natalia: “Right now a cozy, soft sweater, and in the summer, a silk dress.”
London Red: What inspires you?
Natalia: “Japan always and forever!”
London Red: What items do you cherish?
Natalia: “I have jewelry from my mother and some of her clothing. I loved a pair of earrings she wore, and as a child always wanted to steal them from her. She never let me take them and about two years ago she gave them to me as a Christmas gift. That was absolutely amazing and I love them.”
London Red: What are your favorite places to shop in NY?
Natalia: “James Perse, Acne, AllSaints, Issey Miyake, and small boutiques, because I don’t enjoy over crowded places.”
London Red: What’s your style?
Natalia: “Simple and comfortable.”
London Red: Who are your style icons?
Natalia: “Audrey Hepburn & Coco Chanel.”
Artist, Natalia Bieganska by London Red