An accomplished painter and recent graduate of TCU, Natalie Neale is the new Assistant Director of Exhibitions at the AMA.
Working alongside Director of Exhibitions Kendall Quirk, Natalie is involved with the day-to-day management of the museum’s ever-changing exhibitions. Her responsibilities include assisting with the scheduling of visiting collections, the installation and de-installation of exhibits, and working with a variety of vendors, artists, and other exhibition partners. When the AMA moves to its new location in the Arlington Entertainment District early next year, Natalie will coordinate the exhibits held in the Community Gallery.
The first in her family to earn a college degree, Natalie holds a BFA in Studio Art with an emphasis on painting. During her time at Texas Christian University, she was very involved in numerous student leadership roles and served as a studio assistant and gallery attendant.
Artists who inspire her include Duane Michals and Andrew Wyeth.
Wyeth’s Christina’s World (1948) holds deep meaning for Natalie. The subject in the painting is Wyeth’s neighbor Anna Christina Olson. As a young girl, Olson developed a degenerative muscle condition—possibly polio, although it was never diagnosed—that left her unable to walk. She refused to use a wheelchair, so she would instead crawl, using her arms to drag her lower body along.
Natalie loves mentoring children through art, particularly children with disabilities, and considered a career in art therapy. As an amputee herself, she believes that art is “all about emotions.”
Natalie’s most recent series of work, entitled Vulnerabilities, is a very personal artistic exploration.
“I was told all my life, ‘You’re not different,'” said Natalie, “and yet there are always things that stopped me — like when people stare — that remind me that I am. I felt like I was either running toward my amputation or away from it, so Vulnerabilities allowed me to ask and answer, ‘What does this mean for myself?'”
One symbol found in her series is a ski mask.
“The ski mask is meant to be funny, while also being a unifying symbol for things people use to cover themselves up,” said Natalie. “My prosthetic, for instance, covers up my identity as an amputee.”
In addition to painting and photography, Natalie enjoys music and “plays around” with the guitar and piano. She aspires to be a world traveler, and Hawaii is particularly special to her.
Learn more about Natalie in this Dallas Innovates story:
The Last Word: Artist Natalie Neale on Her 70-Foot TCU Mural
Christina’s World source: MOMA
