Natasha Singh has a background in yoga, Thai massage and Craniosacral Therapy, but art has always been her great passion.
From an early age, Natasha was obsessed with compass patterns, geometry and drawing figures. After completing a Fine Arts Degree, she established a practice in holistic healing.
Born in London, with Indian heritage via South Africa, she came to Portugal in November 2019 to help a friend for one month. Through magical serendipity, she connected with the medical herbalist Maureen Robertson, who is based in Barão de São Miguel. Natasha returned to the Algarve in 2020 to take up a herbal apprenticeship with Maureen, just as the COVID-19 pandemic began.
Finding Portugal energetically supportive, she decided to settle in the Algarve, where her art and therapy work is now flourishing.
Natasha is interested in the therapeutic aspects of making art – the relationship between creativity and the nervous system. By allowing ourselves time and space to play and be joyful, the results usually produce something magical.
The themes that run through her artwork are concerned with identity, migration and a deepening connection to the natural world and ancient wisdom.
She says, “Art is a reflection of the life and times of the artist, it’s a powerful tool to communicate, with a place in activism. We can be encouraged to explore our feelings about current topics and express them in thoughtful, skilful ways.” Her works are created using acrylic paint, plant material and anything else she finds interesting.
Natasha’s inspiration comes from collaborating with other wonderful groups and therapists. The Earth Guardians is a series of portraits based on characters in her life. With this series, she connects to the ancient ones by honouring them and remembering how they lived as a collaborative part of the planet. The work’s message is to move closer to nature and work towards sustaining all the life forms and species with which we co-exist. The exhibition is currently on display at Moldopoli, Lagos.
Alongside this project runs The Sun Sign Portraits. By immersing herself in the astrology sign of the month, she creates birthday portraits for people in her life while exploring a connection to that astrological sign. The format is in A2 and created using charcoal mixed media. These projects emerged from staying close to and following plant studies with Maureen Robertson.
Currently, she is working with Hannya Melrose and Lena Nyholm on Womb Surround workshops. Based on the work of pioneer Ray Castellino, these workshops create safety and support to resolve early prenatal and birth experiences. Fascinated by this subject matter, Natasha is currently creating a series of abstract works on the themes of conception, prenatal experience and birth. These will be used to promote and advertise the workshops.
Natasha also runs Earth Guardian Workshops with Terra Robinia team members Olivia Kirschner and Julia De JP. Participants gather for a nature walk to collect items to be used in the session and together, they create their own Earth Guardian portraits with Natasha’s guidance.
Natasha also runs an online artist support group. She says, “It is easy for artists to become quite isolated, which can lead to stagnation. The group provides community and support to move through challenges and maintain a healthy creative flow.”
For Natasha, creativity is part of her well-being: “As humans, it is essential that we have a practice that allows us to express ourselves. Through mediums such as singing, dancing and performing, we acknowledge what is sensed, felt and deeply known. The creative process reflects our joy, pleasure, fear, and pain. It not only speaks about what it is to be human but also touches on the Divine within us.”
Natasha is available for artwork commissions. The next Earth Guardians workshop will run on 16 April, for bookings contact julia@terrarobinia.com
