{"id":915,"date":"2026-04-21T14:47:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-21T14:47:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/yasbou.com\/?p=915"},"modified":"2026-04-21T14:47:00","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T14:47:00","slug":"natalie-nguyen-explained-how-she-went-from-painting-fur-to-her-debut-show-at-waam","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/yasbou.com\/?p=915","title":{"rendered":"Natalie Nguyen explained how she went from painting fur to her debut show at Waam."},"content":{"rendered":"

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All photos courtesy of Nathalie Nguyen.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Natalie Nguyen spent her teens lurking on the LiveJournal blog and selling digital furry paintings on the Internet. Her debut solo exhibition doesn’t stray far from her roots. Whaam!’s series of seven oil paintings will make you feel like you’ve stepped right into a 90’s moody child’s fantasy. Hyperrealist dolls, Polly Pocket shoes, and puppets are the stars of the show, complemented by the gallery’s playful blue and red checkered flooring. <\/span>Nguyen’s fascination with toys, nostalgia, and the Internet has earned her a niche in the art world, where she<\/span> happy 99<\/span>In order to realize collaboration with , and<\/span> mark jacobs<\/span> And Reebok. Just before the show started last Friday, we sent out a survey to Nguyen asking her about the importance of hustling, collecting, and being bored online.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Where did your fascination with dolls come from?<\/b><\/p>\n

I think everyone is secretly fascinated by dolls. There’s something really special about the look <\/span>It is a physical form that reflects how we look and move through the lens of fantasy. I think I first became interested in dolls when I was in my second year of high school. I found some blogs on <\/span>LiveJournal, and forums like Den of Angels. I also attended an anime convention where dolls gathered. <\/span>Enthusiasts were exhibiting their creations, and all of this was completely unattainable to me as a young person. <\/span>immigration. My fascination with dolls is that they are aspirational and almost impossible to perfect. <\/span>It’s a form that can be projected, but it’s also like having a kitten or a baby. There’s something very <\/span>There is something universally maternal about it. <\/span><\/p>\n

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How has digital culture shaped the way you make art?<\/b><\/p>\n

Digital culture has had a huge influence on my image-making process from an early age. i begged <\/span>I bought a Wacom tablet when I was only 12 years old because my cousin Diana had one. <\/span>She was already creating cool digital art on DeviantArt. <\/span>Photoshop back then (I think it was version 7.0 since it was 2004) was really hard to use. <\/span>But I loved using gradients to create terrible anime art. Nowadays it is well known for its 3D <\/span>I work for Happy99, do dioramas, and design, and I still take everything I’ve learned. <\/span>My work flow. When I’m painting, I often create a 3D model of what I’m painting and the light. <\/span>To get it right, do it properly.<\/span><\/p>\n

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What online communities were you involved in growing up?<\/b><\/p>\n

I was most active on GaiaOnline, lurking on \/cgl\/ and LiveJournal blogs. Gaia Online has <\/span>An online artist marketplace where you can commission artwork from others using Paypal. <\/span>this is <\/span>I learned my first job selling privately commissioned digital paintings to companies. <\/span>furcadian [a digital community] Gaia Online. <\/span>Imagine being a middle school student in 2005 and making $45 for a digital drawing of a pregnant woman. <\/span>Furry male fox. My mother was angry, but she respected my hard work.<\/span><\/p>\n

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What kind of sneakers are you wearing now? <\/b><\/p>\n

Nike Shox NZ boots, beige\/sand! they are models <\/span>I believe they were released only for women, but they have been my go-to sneaker for years.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Do you collect anything?<\/b><\/p>\n

I collect anime figures and garage kits, but I’ve been taking a bit of a break lately to organize and organize them. <\/span>Garage kits are usually fan-made resin castings. <\/span>Assembled and painted by the collector by a very talented sculptor. <\/span>These numbers are usually <\/span>This is the only way you can own a specific model\/pose\/sculpt of your character (existing or fan-made). <\/span>I love the DIY aspect. Just buying is not enough, you also need resources and skills <\/span>And the dedication to building it! <\/span>We also collect the 2013 Junya Watanabe x PUMA runway collection. <\/span>A personal weakness of that collection.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\"Natalie<\/p>\n

What was your favorite toy as a child?<\/b> <\/span><\/p>\n

Oh, this is so hard. This is a 1995 Bandai Sailor Moon doll. It’s funny because I completely destroyed them and now they’re worth a lot of money. My mother and aunt bought me Barbie dolls, but I also loved Polly Pocket. I had the Mickey & Minnie Mouse play case version.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Where do you go when you run out of inspiration?<\/b><\/p>\n

I strongly believe that inspiration only comes after exhaustion. <\/span>boredom. i always <\/span>For example, let’s say you work part-time as a bartender\/barista. Perform daily tasks such as cleaning. <\/span>It will continue throughout the kitchen non-stop for three days until it is complete. Turn off your cell phone and stare at it <\/span>Protects your wall for a certain period of time. Duty to perform monotonous and boring tasks <\/span>This task will make your brain do a backflip. Must be boring.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\"Natalie<\/p>\n

How do I know when the work is done?<\/b><\/p>\n

Work is never completed, only abandoned… Someone much smarter than me once said. <\/span>Probably in French.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\"Natalie<\/p>\n

What was your last dream?<\/b><\/p>\n

For better or worse, I’m one of those people who doesn’t dream or remember. <\/span>their dreams. I’m an elite sleeper in the sense that I can basically turn off my brain and go to the next place. <\/span>I can sleep in almost any condition. I don’t remember my last dream so I can’t share it. <\/span>But I would say if there was a sleep challenge with an obstacle course. <\/span>If you sleep, you’ll probably win.<\/span><\/p>\n

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