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natacha ledwidge
artist/facilitator/counsellor

I grew up all around the world, moving with my family wherever work took my Father. I have always loved drawing and painting, partly as it helped me know who I was and gave me a sense of stability and grounding in a life constantly moving around me. After graduating from Chelsea School of Art I settled back in London becoming Art Editor at Harpers & Queen magazine and their ‘in house’ illustrator throughout the 80s and 90s. I am married to Angus, a Director of Photography, and am blessed to have two inspiring, creative children, Georgia and Oscar, now grown up. My life journey has taken me from being a graphic designer to illustrator and a painter, teacher, OneSpirit minister and spiritual counsellor. Along the way I have continued my own practice of Tai Chi and taught it for several years, as well as taking every opportunity to sing as much as possible as I love it.


My own life has been enhanced by exploring many different healing modalities, by experiencing how they tap into the creative power of the soul. These include the visual arts, singing, sound and music and also movement energy work. I find each practice enhances the others when integrated, like flowers in a beautiful and vibrant bouquet.


Paintings:   In my paintings I explore...  the paintings are mainly abstract, since 2011 texture has become more important to me and some paintings are becoming almost sculptural, 3 dimensional. The elemental, mysterious landscapes that are pictured reflect my own inner world, inner nature and also outer nature, the Earth and the Cosmos.  I am fascinated by the pattern and language of nature (the Chinese have a word for this- Li ). For me painting is a regular practice that allows me to sink deep down into the core of my being, dip into the Creative Well and be refreshed by the waters there, it is a healing process helping me feel  whole and well.


Visual Medicine Painting Groups:   In 2009 I started to run Painting Groups from my studio in Bayswater W2 - ‘Visual Medicine’ is a creative spiritual practice originated by the wonderful Australian artist and psychotherapist Suzette Clough who taught me and with whom I worked for many years. Please see ‘Painting Groups’ in the menu or  www.visualmedicine.me


Counselling: I am a OneSpirit minister and spiritual counsellor, I trained at the One Spirit Interfaith Seminary in London ( www.interfaithfoundation.org)  I also have a certificate in counselling from CCPE (Centre for Counselling and Psychotherapy Education).


Singing:  In January 2015  I started up ‘The Heart of London Threshold Choir’... it is the first Threshold choir in England.    I love to sing, it makes me a healthier, happier person!  Our singers are currently meeting twice a month in Bayswater W2, enjoying being together and learning to blend our voices to sing gentle, soothing songs to accompany people at times in their lives that they need some extra help and healing, this could be when they are ill and bed bound, or perhaps to help mark a threshold in their lives like a wedding, baby blessing or even a funeral. We welcome new singers who are interested in joining, do contact me for more information.

This is the website of the Threshold Choir organisation in the USA-

http://thresholdchoir.org/


Illustration:   As a freelance illustrator I drew for Harpers magazine as well as many others including: Vogue, Good Housekeeping, House & Garden, The Spectator and The Royal Society of Literature magazine. I was commissioned to draw the cover of the '11th European Illustration Annual”. Clients have included: Marks & Spencer, Greenpeace, Sotheby’s, Oil of Ulay, The Chelsea Arts Club, British Gas, Sainsburys, Penguin books, The Telegraph and The Times.


Books:  The wonderful Folio Society commissioned me to illustrate many books including 2 boxed sets of Dorothy Sayers Novels and The Alice B. Toklas Cookbook. Other illustrated books include ‘The Great Big Book of Glorious Girls’ published by Penguin, 'Coco Chanel, her life and loves' Heinemann, and 'A Graphic Guide to Women Artists' published by Camden Press. I illustrate books for both adults and children, most recently I illustrated the Emily Windsnap mermaid books by Liz Kessler.

      


Acknowledgements and Gratitude

-“I have to credit Julia Cameron's wonderful and deeply spiritual book 'The Artist’s Way' in helping me with my painting practice and grappling with my inner critic, also Caroline Myss’ extraordinary work in her book ‘Sacred Contracts’.

-I wish to acknowledge and thank my brilliant teacher and friend Suzette Clough, her Visual Medicine painting  process  has been inspirational and transformative for me. Do buy her great book on Visual Medicine from her website!

-I also want to thank my very lovely Tai Chi teacher Tim Spratt. The past 20 years of practicing Tai Chi and other internal Martial Arts along with teaching my own wonderful students has helped inform both my creative work and my whole life”.