Introducing artist Natalie Mills

Natalie Mills is a contemporary artist working primarily in abstraction. Originally from Birmingham, she moved to London in 1995 to pursue a BA (Hons) in Fine Art at The Byam Shaw School of Ar. For the 15 years that followed, she forged a successful career in the sales and marketing industry in the city. Ten years ago Natalie moved back to Birmingham and became a full-time artist.

 Here, Natalie shares more details about her journey into the art world…

Can you tell us your backstory and how you got into the art world?

Where it all started?….As a little girl drawing and painting in my room and experimenting with anything I could get my hands on. Any bit of fabric that was going spare would be cut up and made into little pieces of artwork sewn onto paper or dresses for my dolls. I once got into finger knitting and bet my mom I could create the largest finger knitted rope to go around the street block 3 times, which I did achieve.

I think for me it was an escapism from the chaos going on outside the room with my family and bullies at school in earlier education. I then went onto another school where I found life-long friends and really flourished in creative studies leaving with an A in GCSE Art and the Award for ‘Best Art Student 1992’. I was never (and never have been) a perfect drawer or painter in a traditional sense but I think the teachers saw my willingness to try something new and the enthusiasm to succeed.

I then went onto college where I could really ‘let go’ and the 3 years was full of ripping things up and creating collages and textural pieces. I loved that time.

University was a different story. I loved being there but I also felt like a fish out of water when it came to ‘knowing’ what I SHOULD be producing rather than what I WANTED to do (whatever that was at the time). I lacked the confidence about speaking about my work and felt very self-conscious that I didn’t really know what I was talking about and my Brummie accent didn’t help being surrounded by mostly middle-class well-spoken students.

However, at the beginning of my 3^rd year I had a 1-2-1 with a new tutor who said to me ‘don’t worry about explaining your work before you do it. You don’t have to explain why you do it and what it means, just do it…then talk about the process of doing it after!’. Well….I wish someone had said that to me 2 years before.

Needless to say, I did flourish in the 3^rd year and my area in the building of my final show was very busy and I was actually shortlisted for a Graduate Show at the Royal Festival Hall. I got back to Birmingham to my family home and didn’t have the resources or funds to produce the best quality of slides to be chosen for the final 20 but at least I tried my best.

I was so used to London so I moved back but because the degree curriculum doesn’t actually provide you with any tools to utilise your degree on a business level. So I forged a career in sales and account management (which also had an element of natural marketing) recruiting architects and interior designers for residential and large commercial projects.

As it says in my bio I had a very successful career but there was always something missing. My art. I decided to leave the industry and volunteered for a social enterprise charity upcycling furniture to a very creative and funky style. This gave me the confidence to start painting for myself once again.

I built up an art presence over 2 or 3 years which was going really well and also embarked on 7 week artist residency in India, but then due to personal circumstances I had to take a bit of an unwanted hiatus. I moved back to Birmingham almost 3 years ago and after becoming settled again I resumed my long-missed practice and have been doing this full-time once again for over 2 years.

I think in this time I have managed to achieve a lot of positive things in and I’m very pleased about that. Now I’m excited about the next phase.

How would you describe your signature style and technique?

Oooh that’s a hard one isn’t it. I would say my ‘signature style’ is experimental abstract art using lots of colour, texture, layering and emotive figurative elements that emerge from the abstracts; reflecting on my emotion, memory, and self-discovery that have shaped my personal journey, especially in later life.

My semi-abstract faces I am using in my work signify a particular emotion or feeling that I’m sure everybody can relate to. Hopefully very thought provoking that will possibly differ to each individual. I love the freedom of the abstracts and the challenge of the portraits.

Can you tell us about your latest work? Where did you find inspiration and what is the story behind it?

My latest piece. I was accepted to Birmingham Open 25. The theme for this project was ‘LIGHT’. My piece (attached) ‘Enlightenment’) is inspired by the spiritual meaning of light…..realisation and enlightenment.

Another piece called ‘Confidence’ (attached) which was completed around the same time is inspired by my gained confidence and that all women should have the confidence to lift their head high and be proud of who they are.

Are there any exhibitions or events you are planning?

Planned exhibitions –

Birmingham Open 25 – I’ve been selected to represent West Midlands Art. Sponsored by Colmore BID and Central BID – starts May 20^th. A public open air exhibition. This would be great to promote using the following tags:

@colmorebusinessdistrict @shoppinginbham @millingotn_ruth @birminghamlightfestival

‘Surreal Solihull’ 6th March till 31st July.^. The theme was ‘Surreal’. I wouldn’t say I was a surrealist artist but I thought I’d explore the meaning surreal and adapt it to my style. It’s called ‘Only I Know’. This piece is in the publication but I have reattached it.

@culturesolihull  | @solihullcouncil  | @westmids_ca

A group exhibition with UASB (United Artists of South Birmingham), latest being Kings Heath Art Fest in May 2025.

@Unitedartistsbham

FLUX Exhibition – 17^th – 20^th July, Marleybone, London. This will be the 3^rd time I will be exhibiting with Flux. I love being part of this ‘family’ of artists and curators.

@fluxexhibition |  @fluxreview

What is the best advice you received as an artist?

The best advice I was given was from my tutor at university that I mentioned on my background section…..”Don’t worry about explaining your work before you do it. You don’t have to explain why you do it and what it means, just do it…then talk about the process of doing it after”. I know it’s such a simple bit of advice but it stuck with me all these years and it’s very liberating as an artist.

I give myself this advice all of the time….‘mistakes are inevitable, what’s the worse that can happen, you learn from them and pick up some valuable tips along the way’.

For more information please visit millsyart.co.uk

Follow Natalie on Instagram @millsy197635.

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