Natasha Hennessy is a traditional painter and illustrator.

With a lifelong passion for creating, she is inspired by the macabre and the fantastical.

My passion for art is inspired by a need to deeper express emotion, evoke feeling in viewers, and make the concept of death feel just as serene as it does scary. 

Art has always been an involved part of my life. Growing up with a mother who was an elementary school art teacher gave me access to plenty of art supplies and plenty of encouragement to be creative when I was little. As I grew older, I began to struggle more heavily with my mental health. Throughout grade school, I often felt alone or outcasted. Concurrently, I would hide what I was feeling for fear of being further hurt by others. Whether it was my internal voice telling me that others would not accept me or physical isolation, it has been an overarching theme in my personal struggle.

My art is and has always been how I am able to express myself, and my emotions, and to be vulnerable. My mind, overwhelmed with dark and scary things, inspired me to draw horror-driven creations like some of the ones before you today.

In my more recent life; experiencing even greater traumas than I had before and in 2022 losing many people who were once close to me, has made me realize time and time again that what gives my life purpose is creating. 

Knowing the pain of loneliness, invulnerability, and trauma, I do not want others to feel the same way I did. For that reason, I continue to paint and draw to illustrate the most vulnerable pieces of myself, hoping that others will be able to see that they are not alone and that it is okay to express our fullest selves.