Natalie Hellmann maps and molds her world

The minimalist fine arts graduate student models her work after Thoreau.

By Rachel Krause

Published Feb. 2, 2010

When Henry David Thoreau retreated to a small cabin near the edge of Walden Pond, his goal was straightforward: "Simplify, simplify, simplify." Thoreau stressed the importance of separating from distracting luxuries in order to find meaning in life.

Following in the footsteps of transcendentalists, such as Thoreau, is graduate student Natalie Hellmann, who creates minimal yet powerful works in hopes of instilling a sense of calm. Hellmann is pursuing a master’s degree in fine arts in ceramics with a minor in drawing and is showing her works at the Craft Studio until Feb. 5.

Many of Hellmann's works mesh drawing and ceramics because of her desire to unite her two passions into one piece. In a series of drawings titled "Repose," Hellmann used graphite, colored pencil and watercolors to create minimalist shapes and designs over a surface made of clay and acrylics.

"I'm really drawn to texture and surface but also layering imagery, so I love putting down lines and then painting on top of them and working back into them," Hellmann said. "I'm very interested in the history of surface itself."

Drawing from an interest in found objects, Hellmann's works possess organic qualities. A hanging installation, titled "Pockets," is made up of more than a dozen fabric and ceramic pockets supporting ceramic and felted rocks.

"It surrounds around the idea of being a collector and always having my pockets full of things I would find," Hellmann said. "Even when I was in grade school I would collect things on the side of the playground. Instead of running around and playing, I'd be in the corner picking up rusted bolts and nuts."

Hellmann said her interests in observation are largely fueled from the experiences she had as a child growing up in Cincinnati.

"When I was younger, my father and I would go on hikes every weekend," Hellmann said. "I was always really encouraged to check out this rock, or my dad would say, 'Come look at this Natalie!' My parents gave me good observation skills of my environment and a sensitivity to what's around me."

When Hellmann started her undergraduate art career at the College of Mount St. Joseph in Cincinnati, she would draw maps of locations back home. These drawings symbolized experiences and connections that tie people together. Hellmann's interest in mapmaking is seen throughout her works, from the precisely placed pins in her drawings to a rolling topographical sculpture.

"In my work, I talk a lot about relationships, which are so key to me," Hellmann said. "I grew up as an only child, so I was fortunate to be very fostered by my parents. I love that connectivity of people, how everyone is so different, but all yearning for the same things such as relationships, love and happiness."

Hellmann realized she wanted to become what she calls an "enthusiastic participant in a student's learning" after having an extraordinary experience with a ceramics teacher. Upon graduation, she hopes to teach, create work and maintain a large house full of pots, just like her inspirational teacher.

Just as Hellmann's works are surprisingly simple, her hopes for how viewers feel upon seeing her work are also uncomplicated.

"I know it's not very poetic or sophisticated, but I want people to experience calmness and just walk away feeling more calm or quiet about the world," Hellmann said. "Maybe the way they perceive the world they live in, such as the small things they pass alongside the road or the relationships they have. I think it is all really about those small little moments in life where you're able to stop and really feel what your experiencing."