The Dance Between Creation and Destruction

In this piece, a skeletal Grim Reaper reaches for an eager, wide-eyed rabbit. It’s an absurd but familiar scene: death inviting joy into its arms. And yet, isn’t this the exact tension I feel when deciding whether to keep painting or walk away?

Rabbits, for me, symbolize play, joy, and fertility—not just in the literal sense, but in the realm of ideas. They represent momentum, spontaneity, the creative spark that makes making art fun in the first place. The Grim Reaper? He’s the force of overthinking, perfectionism, the temptation to keep refining until the life of the piece is drained away.

It’s an eerie realization that my artistic process mirrors the very scene I painted.

I’ve been noodling this painting, tweaking details, questioning every highlight, every shadow, debating whether to push it further or let it breathe. It’s that fine line between playing and overworking—a line every artist knows too well.

Maybe that’s why the rabbit looks at me like that. It knows I’m debating its fate.

Finding Home After Loss Through Art

Art has a way of anchoring us to a place, a time, a feeling.
Recently, collectors of mine lost their beautiful home in Altadena, along with seven of my artworks, in the Eaton Fire. Thankfully, they and their pets escaped unharmed—but the loss of their space, their memories, and the art they had carefully chosen over time was heartbreaking.
When they reached out, they told me something that truly moved me: losing my pieces was one of the things that saddened them most. Art had become part of their sense of home.

Home Alone, Oil pastel on collaged drawing pieces, 17” x 20”. Nathalie Tierce

Gatekeeper, Oil pastel on paper, 13” x 16”. Nathalie Tierce

To honor their journey, I gifted them “Hero” and “Demon Dog”—two works they had admired.

Hero, Pastels on Colored paper, 15” x 20”. Nathalie Tierce

Demon Dog, Oil pastels on cradled board, 12” x 12”. Nathalie Tierce

Art is more than an object. It’s a presence—a witness to our lives. I’m deeply honored that my work could offer them even a small sense of familiarity and renewal in a time of loss.
Sending love to everyone rebuilding, recovering, and reclaiming beauty in the wake of hardship. 🖤

Honoring the Bunny Museum and California’s Creative Spirit

Recently, I had the honor of being featured in the Pasadena Star News for my connection to the Bunny Museum. This beloved local institution tragically succumbed to the recent fires. Among the countless treasures lost was my painting, Retired Easter Bunny, which I donated to the museum late last year.

This whimsical, one-of-a-kind space was more than a museum—it was a testament to California's extraordinary spirit. The collection, which housed over 60,000 bunny-related items, from handmade art to plush rabbits, drew visitors worldwide. My contribution, a dour-looking bunny seated on a chair, was displayed in the museum. I was also privileged to recreate the image for the museum’s signature wall, which visitors adorned with notes and drawings.

As I shared in the article, “The Bunny Museum represents the whimsical, adventurous essence that draws so many creatives, like myself, to this beautiful state in pursuit of our dreams. It’s a vibrant symbol of the unique, free-spirited culture that makes California an extraordinary place to live and create.”

Although the fire was devastating, I remain inspired by the community's resilience and outpouring of support for the museum’s restoration. Donors worldwide have pledged to rebuild the collection, and I look forward to being part of this effort. I shared with the Pasadena Star-News my commitment to donating another artwork once the Bunny Museum runs again.

For me, the Bunny Museum was more than a place to display my work—it was a celebration of the playful, creative energy that connects us all. While I’m grateful that my home and workshop were spared, many friends and neighbors have lost everything, and my heart goes out to them.

If you’d like to support the Bunny Museum’s rebuilding efforts, please consider donating to their GoFundMe campaign. Together, we can help restore this special place and continue to honor the creativity and joy it represents.

Thank you for reading and being part of a community that values art, resilience, and connection.

Krampus at Copro Gallery

My painting Mother Krampus and the Lost Souls will be featured alongside my husband Chris Towle's Creepy Krampus in a show curated by Monte Beauchamp at Copro Gallery, Sant Monica, CA

Inspired by the mythological Krampus, I was intrigued by the idea of creating a female version of this sinister figure. The notion of a maternal yet monstrous creature who steals away naughty children felt both fascinating and unsettling, offering a rich opportunity to explore the darker, more complex aspects of this folklore.

Curated by the wonderful Monte Beauchamp, the show features an incredible collection of works produced specifically for this show by a wondrous gamut of artists.

Monte Beauchamp is a celebrated art director, graphic designer, and the visionary founder/editor of the BLAB! and BLAB WORLD annuals. His career highlights include serving as a juror for prestigious organizations like American Illustration and The Society of Illustrators, as well as penning notable books such as Krampus: The Devil of Christmas. Among his many accolades, Beauchamp received the Society of Illustrators’ Richard Gangel Art Directors Award for his exceptional contributions to the field.

Copro Gallery, located in the vibrant Bergamot Arts complex, is renowned for its museum-quality installations. The gallery showcases a dynamic mix of emerging and established artists, frequently hosting large group shows curated in collaboration with external curators. Dedicated to helping collectors create extraordinary collections, Copro Gallery places works in private collections worldwide and actively participates in international art fairs to spotlight its artists. I'm so proud that my husband, Chris Towle, and I had the privilege of participating in this exhibit. Check out the show in person if you can; photos do not do these works justice!

The show is up at Copro Gallery and viewable online here: https://www.copronason.com/kramus24/

Creepy Krampus by Chris Towle

Surreal Identity Crisis - The Tenant Roland Topor

As someone deeply intrigued by the fluidity of identity and the roles we play in life, The Tenant by Roland Topor resonated with me on a profound level. The novel tells the story of Trelkovsky, a man who rents an apartment in Paris where the previous tenant, Simone Choule, tragically took her own life. What begins as a simple act of moving in soon spirals into a surreal descent as Trelkovsky starts to adopt Simone's habits, clothing, and eventually, her very identity.

In my work, I often explore the tension between who we are and who we think we are, and The Tenant delves into this same territory. Topor masterfully blurs the line between reality and delusion, forcing us to question how much of ourselves is shaped by our surroundings and the roles we unwittingly step into. The significance of Simone's last name, "Choule," which means "to flow," becomes eerily prophetic as Trelkovsky's and Choule's identities begin to flow into one another, merging in ways that are both unsettling and inevitable.

The novel becomes a fable of sorts, where Trelkovsky is both the player and the observer, losing himself in the character of Simone while watching his own sense of self unravel. This haunting tale left me contemplating the fragility of identity and the eerie possibility that we might not be as firmly rooted in our sense of self as we believe. The Tenant is more than just a psychological horror—it's a deep dive into the unsettling notion that we might be nothing more than actors in someone else's dream, our identities as fluid and transient as the flow between Trelkovsky and Choule.

Celebrating "Olympia": A Tribute to Katherine Dunn at Carnival Fabulon

Celebrating "Olympia": A Tribute to Katherine Dunn at Carnival Fabulon

This month, I’m thrilled to share that my painting "Olympia" has garnered some exciting attention at the Carnival Fabulon exhibit at Brassworks Gallery, a show inspired by Katherine Dunn's haunting and beloved novel, Geek Love. As someone deeply inspired by literature, it was an honor to contribute to this exhibit alongside so many talented artists from around the globe.

Geek Love is no ordinary tale—it's a bizarre yet compelling story about the Binewski family, where the patriarch, Aloysius, poisons his wife during pregnancy to create uniquely deformed children to star in their traveling freak show. It's a story filled with shock, heartache, and twisted family values, and it’s no wonder that it has inspired artists for decades.

For my piece, "Olympia," I was particularly drawn to Oly, the albino, hunchback narrator of the story who works as a carnival barker while wearing a tutu. The image of Oly, shouting through a bullhorn to attract crowds while clad in a ballerina's tutu, struck me as a poignant metaphor for the roles we play in society, and how they often conflict with our true selves. I sought to capture that tension and complexity in my oil pastel painting, layering it with collage elements to reflect Oly's multifaceted nature.

One of the highlights of the evening was Katherine Dunn's son, Dr. Eli Dapolonia, who arrived at the opening with an open mind, eager to see how the artists interpreted his mother's work. He shared some wonderful insights, including how his mother would have loved the emotion and intensity of many of the pieces on display, particularly the sculpture of Olympia, which he said would have made her chuckle. Hearing that from someone so close to Dunn was incredibly meaningful.

I am beyond grateful to be part of this exhibit and to have my work, "Olympia," stand among such powerful pieces. Thank you to everyone who came out to the opening and those who supported my work along the way.

If you’re in Portland, I highly recommend checking out the exhibit at Brassworks Gallery. It’s a must-see for any fan of Geek Love or anyone who appreciates art that challenges the norm and delves into the deeper, sometimes darker, sides of life.

Some interesting reading about the show can be read here in Oregon Art Watch and here in the Wilamette Week

Until next time, keep embracing your inner "freak" and celebrating the beauty in the bizarre.

Carnivale Fabulon is showing until Sept 7th.

Brassworks Gallery 3022 NE Gilsan Street Portland, OR 97232

Open Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat 3pm to 8pm Closed Sun, Mon, Tues Closed

The 39th Annual All Media Juried Exhibition at MOAH:CEDAR

I am elated that one of my paintings, The Genie and the Swimmer, a surreal encounter between a landlocked swimmer and a genie, has been selected for The 39th Annual All Media Juried Exhibition at MOAH:CEDAR.

In this juried exhibit, “Best in Show” will be considered for acquisition by Lancaster’s Museum of Art and History into their permanent collection.

The opening will be on June 1st, 4 pm to 6 pm.

44857 Cedar Avenue Lancaster, CA 93534

Crazy Shuffle

I have goals as an artist. I want to purge the restless searching that comes to me. That part is therapeutic—selfish—and keeps me sane.

That would be enough reason for me or anyone else to make shapes and colors on a canvas. 

It's not enough for me.

I spend hours making scribbles on paper that make sense to someone else—not everybody, just people other than myself. I piece bits together slowly and painfully until they feel like the things I'm catching a glimpse of in my stomach. 

What color is a scream?  

Hunting in circles around the canvas for the edge of something that stings or sings. I see something, leaning against my drawing table and staring at the mess of marks and colors on the canvas on my easel. I take four steps forward; it's gone. I step back and fold my arms against me. I look, waiting, squinting, tilting my head from side to side. Picking up a red oil pastel, I move forward again; no, it's gone, that glimmer of a shape; I can't find it. I put the oil stick down.

I do a crazy shuffle dance back and forth in a space of eight feet in front of my easel. Some days, I'm more lurching and shifting about than painting. I spend chunks of my life at the altar of my easel, making sense of things I don't have words for with pigment.

Rites of Passage in Chinatown

A collection of my works on paper, “Rites of Passage,” opened on March 22 at Studio DDLA. The exhibition delves into the states of identity that define our lives.

What made the opening unforgettable was conversing with visitors, hearing their interpretations, and witnessing their emotional responses to my work.

Some shared personal anecdotes that resonated deeply with the themes I explored, while others offered perspectives that opened new vistas of understanding.

One particular encounter stands out in my memory—a woman spoke to me of how one of my pieces, depicting a figure in a hospital gown, made her think of her mother, who had had Alzheimer's.

Studio DDLA provided a platform for my work to be seen and a sanctuary for dialogue, introspection, and connection. The exhibit is open by appointment and runs until the 19th of April.

The closing party is on April 19th from 5 pm to 9 pm at 944 Chung King Road, Los Angeles, CA

Art and Diamonds - Exhibit at Jogani Gallery

I am honored to have my paintings and drawings showcased at the amazing Jogani Gallery, purveyors of fine gems and diamonds in Silverlake, Los Angeles.
This collection explores the theme of heroes and victims, pulling tropes from myth, theater, and popular culture that embody existential struggles.
All work is for sale. DM Jogani through Instagram for inquiries.

Solo Show, "Rites of Passage" at DDLA on Chung King Road

This body of work explores the idea of identity as a rite of passage. The repercussions of moving through the world as a searcher, consumer, fighter, or lover looking for a mate are a hallmark of our existential experience in this life.

The DDLA space is a gallery and center. Studio DDLA is one of the first physical spaces dedicated to death work in the United States. Studio DDLA provides a community, gallery, and event space to explore death, grief, life, and loss in collaboration with local doulas, artists, healers, and community members.

Please join me at the opening on March 22 from 5 pm to 9 pm. Viewing by appointment through April 19th.

Trust your Gut

When I asked people why they chose to buy that particular painting or drawing, their responses were filled with emotion. They described their connection to the artwork as something beyond mere aesthetics - it was as if the artwork had a voice, whispering secrets and stories that resonated deep within their souls. It made their senses come alive, igniting a tingling sensation that sent shivers down their spines.

It’s as if the artwork held mystical power over them. It was more than just a decorative piece; it was a portal into a world that spoke to them profoundly. Such a profound connection is a testament to the power of art and its ability to awaken emotions and inspire a meaningful connection with the world around us.

When you decide to invest in art, you are not just acquiring a physical object; you are immersing yourself in the artist's vision, their unique way of seeing the world. It reflects your innermost thoughts and desires, a cherished piece that speaks to your heart in ways that words cannot express.

This year, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all of you, both new and long-time collectors, for making my artistic vision a part of your personal sanctuary. By displaying my artwork in your homes, you have supported my craft and shared a piece of my heart and soul with those around you. Your continued trust and support have allowed me to turn my dreams into reality; I am eternally grateful for that.

When Hell Freezes Over at Home

A collector has purchased my pastel drawing When Hell Freezes Over as it spoke to her with its fiery imagery.

I asked the collector who purchased this piece, “Why this one?” and got the most touching, interesting reply, which, with her permission, I am sharing here:

“I have been a fan of Nathalie’s for several years now and have been lurking in the bushes waiting for the right painting to come along:  it finally happened with “When Hell Freezes Over.” The central character drew me in as she/they (despite obviously unsettled circumstances) have a delightful snaggle-toothed smile and what I believe is a twinkle in the eye. Her waving head cilia/eyebrows/hands complete the welcome. Nathalie is known for her layered work, and WHFO doesn’t disappoint. My pareidolia is in full force, seeing new shapes/colors/characters every time I view her. I will be enjoying this painting until the day I die.”

While selling my work has economic advantages, the real thrill is knowing that what I convey through my paintings and drawings has the ability to enter someone else’s brain and heart and affect them.

For this, I am eternally grateful.

Villains and Heroes Solo Show at Brassworks Gallery November 11, 2023

I am excited about my solo show, Villains and Heroes, at Brassworks Gallery in Portland, Oregon. The collection of works focuses on telling the story of individuals pushed by their desires and circumstances.

Some of the imagery in my paintings include a world-weary Alice in Wonderland working as a waitress while she's nine months pregnant. Mr. Potato Head, now an exhausted office worker, tries to find solace in drinking beer at a bar while a lively blue pony talks nonstop into his plastic ear. Legos, usually used by kids to build a positive world of schools and heroes, instead portrays a dystopian society where marginalized people struggle to survive.

I'll be at a book signing event for my new book, Chronicles of Fear - Tales of Woe. I'd love to see you there. If you're not in Portland on November 11th, you can also check out the online exhibition at www.brassworksgallery.com.

Chronicles of Despair Review in Comics Review U.K.

This very Flattering review of my book, Chronicles of Fear - Tales of Woe, from Comics Review U.K. also gave it a 9/10.

By Nathalie Tierce (Indigo Raven)
ISBN: 978-1-7341874-5-8 (PB)

Win’s Christmas Gift Recommendation: Cruel Truths for Crazy Days… 9/10

Allying words to pictures is an ancient, potent and – when done right – irresistibly evocative communications tool: one that can simultaneously tickle like a feather, cut like a scalpel, and hit like a steam hammer. As such, repeated visits to a particular piece of work will even generate different responses depending on the recipient’s mood. If you’re a multi-disciplined, multi-media artist like Nathalie Tierce, fresh challenges must be a hard thing to find, but rewards for successfully breaking new ground are worth the effort… and the viewer’s full attention.

Tierce is a valued and veteran creator across a spectrum of media, triumphing in film and stage production for everyone from the BBC to Disney and Tim Burton to Martin Scorsese. She has crafted music performance designs for Andrew Lloyd Webber and The Rolling Stones, all the while generating a wealth of gallery art, painted commissions and, latterly, graphic narratives such as Fairy Tale Remnants and Pulling Weeds From a Cactus Garden.

Perpetually busy, she still finds time to stop and stare; thankfully, human-watching is frequently its own reward, sparking tomes like this slim, enthrallingly revelatory package forensically dissecting human nature in terms of cultural landmarks as scourged by the inescapable mountain of terrors large, small, general and intensely personal.

On show in this portable night gallery are stunning paintings in a range of media, rendered in many styles and manners whilst channeling the artist’s own fear-mongering childhood entertainer influences. These include Edward Gorey, Maurice Sendak, Heinrich Hoffman (Der Struwwelpeter), and other dark fairy tales, as well as compellingly mature comic creators such as Aline Kominsky Crumb & R. Crumb, Will Eisner and Claire Bretecher.

The artworks explore shades of anxiety, alienation, frustration, longing, disappointment, despondency, hopelessness, instant gratification, loss of confidence, purposelessness, racism, toxic masculinity, neurosis, death, and loneliness by suborning cultural touchstones like Popeye, Donald Duck and other Disney icons, mass-media mavens like Bowie and King Kong, beloved childhood toys and even modern lifestyle guru Homer Simpson.

Bracketed by revelatory insights and sharing context in Introduction and Biography, the pictorial allegories When Shock and Horror Collide, Forest Nymph, Capitolina and the Dubious Superhero, The Genie and the Swimmer, Bad Fishing Trip, Slapstick Brawl, Undateable, Crazy Rooster Man, Strange Leader, My Favorite Aliens, The Queen of Hearts Goes Shopping, Acrobat, Fear of Death, Running, What Killed the Dodo? The Bore, 3am, Pussy Cat, Barfly, Alice in Waitingland (my absolute personal favourite!), Beginning and End, Rascal Dog, Spiraling, Lonely Soldier, Homer Gone Bad, Jittery and utterly appalling endpiece Bathtime, connecting forensic social observation with everyday paranoias we all experience. The result is a mad melange of bêtes noire and unsettled icons du jour, with each condemnatory visual judgment deftly wedded to frankly terrifying texts encapsulating contemporary crisis points, delivered as edgy epigrams and barbed odes.

Chronicles of Fear – Tales of Woe is a mordantly mature message of mirth-masked ministrations exposing the dark underbellies we’re all desperately sucking in and praying no one notices.

A perfect dalliance for thinking bipeds at the end of civilization, aimed at victims of human nature with a sharp eye and unforgiving temperament – and surely, isn’t that all of us?
© 2023 Indigo Raven. © 2023 Nathalie Tierce. All rights reserved. - Comics Review U.K.

Falling in Love with the Unlovable

When painting certain characters for my next book Chronicles of Fear - Tales of Woe, I based it on the idea that their profile had popped up on a dating app. It coincided with the thought that one of people's biggest fears is being unloved. Not being loved overlaps with the need to be seen, valued, and of course, having someone else to love back.

In observing my friends that are dating, in particular, when they use dating apps, they are, in fact, shopping. They are hunting on eharmony, Match, or Tinder for that magic salve with all the ingredients to relieve that itch. There isn't anything wrong with wanting certain qualities in a mate. Looking for traits that make someone attractive is reasonable. 

The part misaligned with the quest is, how do you summarize a soul in a selfie and tagline? If dating apps are giant digital shopping malls, it's like the product is designing its own marketing strategy. When it comes to personal identity, isn't that an abstract concept? Isn't our experience of another person more important than who they say they are? Packaging something as complex as an individual, is it being presented to appeal to the broadest audience or the select few who will "get it"?

The portraits for my book, Chronicles of Fear, start with a core of some awkward, disastrous, or otherwise difficult characteristic. When I say portrait, I'm talking about illustrations. The writing comes after. To further complicate the procedure, I don't start with sketches or drawings when inventing these dramatis personae. I begin by making random marks and splashes on a page and search for them. It starts by seeing the curve of a lip, the slant of an eyebrow, and then I cobble the rest together. 

It is like putting a jigsaw puzzle together without having a reference to the finished image. I'm hanging on to the idea that I've seen someone in the amorphous pool of brushstrokes with the beginnings of what I'm looking for, and I have to paint them out of chaos into a recognizable being.

These searches are a quest for an undesirable type, a nervous wreck, an overconfident bore. After the long haul of "finding" them, I'm always left with affection for them. While painting the annoying trope, empathy and humor creep in and transform my feelings about the character into ones I care about.

Human beings can be difficult to love. We're all complicated. It seems like relationships are designed to fail. And, of course, falling in love with a painting is less complex than falling in love with a person. Maybe the way we surf the internet, being distracted and attracted by all that twinkles, makes it more challenging to sit with someone and figure out what makes them beautiful.

Pulling Weeds from a Cactus Garden -Life is Full of Pricks (Indigo Raven Publishing, 2021) and Fairy Tale Remnants (Indigo Raven Publishing, 2019) Are available on Amazon in paperback and ebook.

Chronicles of Fear - Tales of Woe will be released in Fall 2023 in paperback and ebook on Amazon and select retail outlets.

My solo show, Villains and Heroes, will be opening at Brassworks Gallery in Portland, Oregon, on November 12, 2023  

Chronicling Fear

My paintings and mixed media pieces are images pulled from emotions, ideas, and desires. In the current book I'm working on, Chronicles of Fear - Tales of Woe, I've created 27 illustrations and paired each with short prose. It continues the ideas of my other books, Pulling Weeds from a Cactus Garden - Life is Full of Pricks and Fairy Tale Remnants.

The original title of Chronicles of Fear was Chronicles of Desire. I felt the pull of "want" dragging my characters into extreme states of being. As the project progressed, I saw the absurdity, tragedy, and comedy of this cyclone of terror coming from each character's inner world. I realized fear was the force behind these powerful states of existential crisis.

Fear is a curious beast. If we conquer it, we can reach our dreams on the other side. If we let it swallow us, there's no limit to its depth. 

I hope that defining these vices through a hyper-colored lens makes these horrors more digestible, even humorous.

Pulling Weeds from a Cactus Garden - Life is Full of Pricks (Indigo Raven Publishing, 2021) and Fairy Tale Remnants (Indigo Raven Publishing, 2019) Are available on Amazon in paperback and ebook.

Chronicles of Fear will be released in Fall 2023 in paperback and ebook on Amazon and select retail outlets.

If you're interested in my thoughts and work with visual escapism, please subscribe for news about my upcoming publications, exhibits, and projects.

Praise from an Icon

This quarter’s Mineshaft has come out with the amazing work of R.Crumb, Drew Friedman, Aline and Sophie Crumb, Max Clotfelter, Robert Armstrong, Chris Mueller, Noah Van Sciver, Glenn Head, Fabio Vermelho and many more!

I was beyond ecstatic to have my name mentioned in the Letters section by one of my favorite artists, R.Crumb, praising my work in the previous issue.

For those of you not familiar with Robert Crumb, Robert Dennis Crumb, born August 30, 1943 is an American cartoonist and musician. His work displays a nostalgia for American folk culture of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and satire of contemporary American culture.

Crumb is a prolific artist and contributed to many of the seminal works of the underground comix movement in the 1960s, including being a founder of the first successful underground comix publication, Zap Comix, contributing to all 16 issues. He was additionally contributing to the East Village Other and many other publications, including a variety of one-off and anthology comics. During this time, inspired by psychedelics and cartoons from the 1920s and 1930s, he introduced a wide variety of characters that became extremely popular, including countercultural icons Fritz the Cat and Mr. Natural, and the images from his Keep On Truckin' strip. Sexual themes abounded in all these projects, often shading into scatological and pornographic comics. In the mid-1970s, he contributed to the Arcade anthology; following the decline of the underground, he moved towards biographical and autobiographical subjects while refining his drawing style, a heavily crosshatched pen-and-ink style inspired by late 19th- and early 20th-century cartooning. Much of his work appeared in a magazine he founded, Weirdo (1981–1993), which was one of the most prominent publications of the alternative comics era. As his career progressed, his comic work became more autobiographical.

In his letter to the editor, R. Crumb wrote, “Glad to see the work by Nathalie Tierce show up in there. She’s a strong artist and seems to be on the right track, getting even more interesting as time goes on. Too bad you can’t print her work in color. It would really pop out if you printed it in the original colors.”