Short Bio
Natalie Armstrong is a self-taught mixed media and collage artist based in North Louisiana, originally from Metairie, LA. Her female-centric work playfully explores the layered contradictions of femininity—blending nostalgia and subversion, romance and grit. Deeply influenced by her spirited grandmother—who painted on everything from roof shingles to canvas—Armstrong draws inspiration from vintage glamour, Southern storytelling, and the dreamy elegance of artists like Louis Icart and Clementine Hunter. Her pieces combine digital and traditional techniques, found imagery, and tactile materials to build intimate, maximalist narratives. Through her practice, she reframes classic aesthetics with a distinctly Southern lens, crafting what she calls “playful, contradictory re-imaginings.”
Statement
I create mixed media collage art, blending digital and traditional analog techniques to explore the richness and complexity of femininity.
My work draws heavily on vintage ephemera, photographs, and found images, which I manipulate to craft intricately detailed female-centric worlds that are both celebratory and contradictory. Through playful juxtapositions—opulence versus simplicity, demure versus raw—I seek to capture the multifaceted nature of women. I believe women possess an incredible ability to embody contrasting states and hold space for a multitude of experiences and identities.
As a Louisiana artist, I often view the world through a Southern lens—locating magic in bayou life, alligator lore, and the layered soul of New Orleans. These regional influences frequently find their way into my work as dreamy, otherworldly scenes shaped by folklore, water, and music. The Southern landscape is not just a backdrop—it’s a living, breathing presence in my art, full of symbolism, contradiction, and beauty.
I am drawn to the romantically excessive elements of Rococo, the organic shapes and florals of Art Nouveau, and the sharpened edges of Art Deco. I feel most deeply aligned, though, with the maximalist movement, which embraces “both/and” rather than “either/or”—a concept I explore both in my art and in broader conversations around femininity. I am drawn to bold patterns, intricate layers, and luxurious materials such as beading, fabric, and trim. I love incorporating these elements into my work to craft a multi-sensory experience that brings the piece to life.
My intention is to evoke joy, freedom, and acceptance, inviting viewers into a space where women are celebrated. Ultimately, my art is about honoring the playful, the frivolous, and the profound—all coexisting within the expansive and vibrant experience of womanhood.
Biography
I’m a self-taught mixed media and collage artist based in North Louisiana, originally from Metairie, LA. My work explores the layered contradictions of femininity—celebrating the space where nostalgia meets subversion, and softness coexists with strength. I create vibrant, female-centric compositions using both digital and analog techniques, found imagery, and tactile materials like fabric and trim.
My earliest creative influence was my spirited grandmother. She taught me to paint on everything—from canvas to roof shingles—and filled her home with Louis Icart prints, Betty Boop collectibles, and Clementine Hunter paintings. That eclectic blend of romance, boldness, and folk charm shaped my aesthetic in ways I still feel today. I often notice traces of Icart’s dreamy elegance in my own work. Like my grandmother, I’ve always been drawn to breaking the rules and staying open to unusual surfaces and materials.
Before launching my art practice, !Fifi Gi! Storied Collage Art, in 2022 (named after my two wild and wonderful daughters, Gigi and Phoebe), I earned a BA from Louisiana State University and a master’s degree in composition in Northern California. I spent several years teaching and traveling in Costa Rica, Honduras, Thailand, and Mexico before settling in North Louisiana, where I taught high school Spanish for many years.
My work is deeply inspired by the Southern bayou—its lush florals, fading grandeur, thick heat, and deep-rooted storytelling. I’ve long been influenced by artists like Louis Icart, Pearl Frush, Henry Clive, and Clementine Hunter—each offering their own take on femininity, elegance, and spirit. I try to reinterpret those influences often through a Southern lens, creating what I think of as playful, contradictory re-imaginings.
I believe people are a collection of tiny, often conflicting details—and collage lets me gather those fragments and stitch together new narratives in intimate, female-focused worlds. I like to think of my art as a space where romance and grit, excess and simplicity, softness and edge can all coexist; It’s where I feel most free.
