Natalie Guess

An artist who loves working patiently with her hands, Natalie is a natural for the rare art form known as batik.  Originating in Egypt and found in pyramidal tombs, it is an art form most popular in Indonesia, Africa and Sri Lanka, today.  The word "batik" means "wax writing".  Batik involves the painting of hot clear wax on silk or cotton fabric to resist the dyes of color that the fabric is dipped in.  This is done one color at a time, light to dark, until the work of art is finished.  The "crackle" or "webbing" effect is created by crunching the waxed fabric in the hands prior to putting it in the dye color.

Natalie Guess is one of a small number of professional fine batik artists across the United States.  She has worked in this medium for more than 44 years and finds that the possibilities are exciting and endless.  Her artistic handling of composition, many times involving shadows, gives her pieces a drama and depth that renders itself especially striking in batik medium.  It has a look unlike any other art form.  Her work, over the years, has been instrumental in getting batik recognized as a fine art media in the United States.