Member Spotlight Series: Natalie Uribe

It's time for another Member Spotlight Monday! This month, we're drawing back the curtain on someone whose commitment to community advocacy has been lifelong: our ceramics specialist Natalie Uribe! 

As a completely non-profit organization, volunteerism is the beating heart of the Doraville Art Center. From our docents to our instructors to our board members, the giving of time and resources for the communal good is what keeps us moving forward year after year. Natalie embodies that spirit of service even when she isn't on DART’s premises.

During her education, Natalie cultivated an appreciation of and philosophy for the ways in which art and community intersect. She received her Bachelor's in Art History first, followed by a Master's in Organizational Leadership in Nonprofits, honing and refining her twin passions.

"To me, art is the expression, connection and translation of our lives," says Natalie. "Art is a safe place to interpret our internal words. Pain, loss, struggles, and moments of joy have the opportunity to become something unique, beautiful and thought-provoking. This opens doors for conversation and community in a very unique way!"

Community dialog is of paramount importance to Natalie. In addition to teaching weekly workshops at DART and sitting on our board of directors since 2023, Natalie has years of experience with organizations like The Salvation Army and Casas Por Cristo, the latter of which has taken her and her team to Guatemala to build homes for citizens in need.

In the creative sphere, she is a student of many artistic mediums. A painter, a portraitist, even a skilled special effects MUA transforming her clients with pigments and prosthetics for photoshoots, parties and performances.

But when she discovered ceramics, something significant clicked into place.

"I fell in love with the connection to the earth in my hands as I work," she says.

That love translated into a position at the Georgia State University Perimeter College as a Ceramic Studio Teacher, where wheel-throwing, hand-building and general sculpture were the tools she used to educate and inspire other young artists.

It is currently a private ambition for Natalie to find a fire-safe way of introducing a kiln to the DART ecosystem, though the process is decidedly complex, and may take several months.

Although ceramics are her true artistic love, her creative eye is perpetually hungry and insatiably curious. There's no such thing as a least-favorite medium for Natalie – or even one she would rule out attempting.

"I don't necessarily have a least favorite medium. I love trying new mediums and blending techniques. There are plenty that I have not experimented with that I would love to try some day.”

Nevertheless, like many of us, certain elements of artistry pose more of a struggle for her than others.

"I have a hard time producing art for others, like commission work. I feel that my best work is done during times when I needed an escape. Most of my art is extremely personal and I tend to keep it for my own reflection.”

Another area of tension is silencing the internal critic – the one that perches on the shoulder of all creatives and tells them their work doesn’t meet their own high standards.

"Breaking out of that mindset is a work in progress," she says.

Still, even when the muse is stubborn and perfectionism surfaces, Natalie would rather be creating than doing just about anything else.  

"Art has always been a safe space for me to think outside of the box and express myself. I am a very hands-on person and art allows me to express externally how I feel and see the world.

While her dream was to become a career artist after graduation, the many social and systemic upheavals of the 2020s changed the trajectory of her professional life. Ultimately, it was that element of the unexpected that led her to the Doraville Art Center, and why the organization's mission spoke to her.

"I was drawn to DART because of the loving community who emphasizes that the point of art is simply to create it. Art should be accessible to all, and DART truly puts the community first."

Accessibility is core to Natalie's artistic practice, but also to her personal values. As the proud daughter of immigrant parents – her father, Fernando, immigrated to the US from Colombia in 1970, and Maria, her mother, came from Cuba in 1992 as a refugee – the need for equitable communal access to essential services is as personal to Natalie as it is political. And art, she knows, is as essential as anything.

"Art enables communication," she explains. "There are barriers that can be overcome through non-verbal communication and expression, within a community that is accepting of creativity and out-of-the box thinking."

Faith and family may have galvanized Natalie’s commitment to civic engagement, but they also play a role in her creative ambition. She cites her grandfather Ulicer’s love of the canvas as leaving a profound impression on her from a young age.

"My earliest and happiest memories of responding to art are painting with my grandfather," Natalie explains. "He has always had artistic talent and would love to sit and paint after work. He is still painting in his 80s, and I get to continue creating and collaborating on projects with him.”

Ulicer has even become a bit of a regular at the Doraville Art Center, often accompanying her to experiment with the comprehensive bounty of supplies available here.  

Truthfully, any number of things can stimulate her desire to create. Inspiration, for Natalie, comes as easily as taking in the world around her.

“I am often inspired by history, culture and storytelling. I love rich textures and colors that engage multiple senses. My creative mantra is that inspiration and beauty are in every aspect of life.”

Wherever Natalie receives the divine spark of imagination from, we at DART are elevated by her contributions – not only to our organization, but to the city we love and the people who live there.