Your Travel Artist
A Sentimental Storyteller
Natalie de Groot
Examining the world through art,
travel, music and philosophy.
40 Stories. 40 Layers. 40 Days.
View the Audrey Stories HERE
The Audrey Stories
Series Statement
My latest series, Audrey: 40 Paintings in 40 Days, experimented with the idea of time travel. As I approached my 40th birthday, I challenged myself.
40 paintings in 40 days leading up to my 40th birthday. Two hours max paint time per day with 2 hours allotted for filming, editing and distributing video love letters.
I would ask Audrey Hepburn to inspire the composition of my series and I would turn inward and listen to my intuition to create a new painting; a new baby; a new layer... errie day. No plan. Just passion and paint.
“What if I could move freely between certain points of my lifeline and study my subconscious reality and unique perspective? What if I could discover secrets hidden behind key moments? What if I could collect another puzzle piece of wisdom? What if I shared all of myself and laid it all on the line? Does facing fear of rejection hurt more or less than the regret of stagnation?”
My Audreys are your Audreys. Our Audreys live as evidence that we all contain layers upon layers. Some layers we share while others live deep inside of our memory and subconscious -safely hidden from judgement and ridicule.
Join the deeper experience and allow my paintings to act as a mirror; a mirror in which we can see one another in each other. A mirror that can share three simple words that bring your soul solace and comfort, "I see you."
What Others are Saying:
"Party girl. Free spirit. Uncomplicated bohemian. All easy appellations apply to someone like Natalie but, while all true, they belittle the complexities and nuance that any one person might contain. And for Natalie, there are more layers than one could possibly imagine.
This art series captures that notion starkly, using Audrey Hepburn as a mirror. Hepburn was an icon of grace and style, easy to qualify but impossible to categorize. Her varied roles revealed a depth just under a brittle surface; these paintings in their wild variation make those depths a visual reality.
Each of us can see ourselves in the varied images -- a strong, defined outline making us recognizable, while the details that make us up are ever-changing, from moment to moment; a reminder that we are all mercurial and fluid, but still a being of permanence." -JC
Artist Bio
My story and what
INSPIRES MY ART.
I yearn to capture and collect our collective experiences and express them onto a canvas. What is the purpose of our existence? Why are we here? The more I search, the more I come back to the idea that we are all out here collecting pieces to life's puzzle.
YouR Travel Artist
aka NATALIE de Groot aka YourTravelBlogger
Your Travel Artist Story and Sentimental Journey
Your Travel Artist Statement | The Audrey Stories.
Tap slide above to read full bio and get a deep dive look into my story, process, techniques, education and intentions.
pATIENT, hOPEFUL, aCCEPTING.
For today’s Audrey, I just sat back, listened to a little #BobMarleyAndTheWailers and played with colors and strokes.
I love how she turned out; a bit broken, a bit messy and even with a tear-stained face, she manages to inhale, smile and give herself over to the light. She patiently waits for her return to #Zion and finds a moment of peace until that time comes.
If I had more time… Audrey so would’ve been sporting some beautiful dreads. ⏰
Full Experience
Watch the video love letter dedicated to Audrey the Rastafarian.
Music Inspiration:
"Three Little Birds," by Bob Marley and the Wailers
Next featured Audrey
Harnessing the Human Spirit
Films have always been a part of my dna. When I was a little girl my father used to send me three vhs tapes a week with three different movies on each tape. I consumed nine new movies each week and we had a collection that matched no other child I knew.
I share this because when asked my favorite film, I always stumble; not knowing how to answer. That being said, one movie always comes rushing forward in my mind. It’s a simple movie that some would probably not rate as high as I do, but #Gattaca has always spoken to my soul. I love everything about that film.
There’s a scene where the #degenerate (an invalid that buys the genes of a valid person in society) blows smoke into a tumbler to demonstrate what Titan the moon looks like. The other day I rewatched this amazing film and said, “I’m going to turn my Audrey into that single frame somehow.”
And this is how Audrey the de-gene-rate was born. She borrowed the “superior” genes of another and shows is that there is no gene that accounts for the human spirit.
We can do and be whatever we want. We needn’t allow— our beginnings; our ailments or weaknesses; our predisposed faults —alter our potential or stifle our heart’s desires. We need only decide on what we want and use every fiber of our being to reach our potential… even if we have to borrow someone’s spiral ladder to reach it, we can reach it with enough heart. 🪜❤️
Full Experience
Watch the video love letter dedicated to Audrey the De-Gene-Rate.
Music Inspiration:
"Gattaca the Departure," by Michael Nyman & Valentina Lisitsa
Gallery Shop
Learn more about my original paintings and find the one that is "your" painting. Shop now.
Next featured Audrey
You are the Sun. You are the Moon.
Hold onto your britches cause we’s goin’ deep today… I don’t even know how to begin to describe this painting’s concept in the allotted characters. It’s impossible. 🤔
How about a paradox that might blow your mind. #Hathor is the mother of her father; daughter of her son. She is mother, daughter and wife to Ra. She is the sun; she is the moon. Ra created his Eye (one of Hathor’s manifestations), and Hathor helped him create the world in turn, as such, Hathor was said to be her own mother.
Evidence of her existence can be traced back to the 3rd Dynasty (c. 2660 BCE) and to name just a few of her layers, she was the goddess of movement, music, love, emotion, and wine.
Her cross-cultural equivalents are #Aphrodite #Venus #Turan #Inanna #Astarte #Rati #Anahita #Frigg.
Some believe that #TheSevenHathors (Hathor’s #CelestialHerd) are also representative of the #Pleiades (aka #TheSevenSisters). The Seven Hathors played their own role in the afterlife, determining a person’s lifespan and the cause of their death.
Epithets —to name a few—
#MotherOfMothers #WomanOfDelights #MistressOfLife #MistressOfTheSky #EyeOfRa #LadyOfTheUniverse #GoddessOfTheWesternMountain #ḥwt-ḥr #Ἁθώρ Hathōr #ϩⲁⲑⲱⲣ #𐦠𐦴𐦫𐦢
And yeah… that’s the meaning of my painting. 🦗 🏏 🫣 🤓
PS. I wrote a poem years ago and it was turned into this song. I feel like I wrote this song for this painting. Which blows my mind some more. 🤯
Full Experience
Watch the video love letter dedicated to Audrey the 7th Hathor Sister.
Music Inspiration:
"Listen With Your Heart," by Natalie de Groot and Louis Ramirez
Next featured Audrey
Come As You Are and I will Love You.
Coming from a small town in Florida, I wanted so badly to fit in during my tween years and as I approached eighteen… I had an epiphany.
I wasn’t supposed to fit in. Sure I was incredibly lonely for years —I even took to reading a book a day to escape as well as embrace the solitude. But I was always supposed to break free from the mundane and find a place I could be unapologetically myself.
I wanted to find a spot where my corky, odd self could feel like I belonged.
I traveled the world looking for a place I would fit in and then came another epiphany in my mid-thirties… I wasn’t looking for a destination, I was looking for an inward acceptance. Once I learned to truly accept all of myself, I was finally free to be me… wherever I was.
Moral of the story?
A: We’re not supposed to be the same as everyone else; there’s only one you… you’re supposed to be YOU. Life would be boring without the geeks and the freaks. 🧩
B: It doesn’t matter where you go, because wherever you go… there you are. I know, groundbreaking. 🥸 But simple proverbs have survived because it *is* that simple. Be happy with yourself and you will lead a happy life.
Audrey the Freak is a shout out to anyone that felt lonely and different growing up and then realized… wait, I’m f****** awesome. 😎
Full Experience
Watch the video love letter dedicated to Audrey the Freak.
Music Inspiration:
"Come As You Are," by Nirvana
There are 36 more! Want to experience their story?
Head to the Audrey Series Viewing Gallery.
Collab or Press Request
Shoot me a message if you need any additional information or if you'd like to discuss a collaboration. I am committed to getting this Audrey Series in front of their future owners.
Write me on social or here on my website.
Let's Journey
Deeper Together
