about me
Hey there, my name is Natalie and thanks for visiting my shop! Lotus Printworks is a small, one-woman shop (and by shop I mean small corner of the sunroom with a desk and a drying rack). I was born and raised in California, and currently create my art out of my home in San Diego, CA.
As a climber, hiker, canyoneer-er, and conservationist, my work is heavily inspired by the natural world. I graduated from UC Davis as a conservation biology major, so I love being able to represent wildlife in an artistic way. You’ll even sometimes find little descriptors of wildlife at the bottom of the print description (the scientist in me can’t help it). My goal is to create art that aids in the awareness of conservation while also highlighting the beauty of the natural world.
Having Chinese and middle eastern heritage on either side of my family, you’ll see that cultural influence seep into my work as well!
The art of block printing originated in China over 4,000 years ago. Today, the exact methods have been adapted and changed through time and many different cultures.
The block printing that I do uses linoleum blocks to carve out a design. Ink is then rolled out on the surface of the block and finally paper is laid over the top to print the design. I’ll sometimes add elements of watercolor to add a nice flow to the finished piece.
The process of block printing is a beautiful if not meticulous one. Carving designs into linoleum takes A LOT of patience because once a piece is carved out there’s no going back… It requires you to slow down and be thoughtful about your process. But once a block is carved, I can create many handmade prints from it (no digital printing here!)
If you’re curious about the process of block printing head over to my Instagram (linked at the bottom), which has some of my process videos!
about my art
