Natascha Maksimovic

Wallpaper maker

©Natascha Maksimovic

The marvellous marbler

Natascha masters the ancient Japanese craft of suminagashi
She creates handprinted wallpapers and art prints
Every piece is unique and not reproducible

Artist Natascha Maksimovic started out as a German graphic designer and print maker, and she worked in advertising. Her love for motion pictures led her to working alongside legendary movie director Ridley Scott, where she spent ten years of her life. It was the birth of her first daughter that brought a need for a new balance in her life, which made her re-discover handcraft. Natascha's first love was hand-printing. The decisive coup de foudre was when she encountered the ancient Japanese art of suminagashi, or paper marbling. It is a process that allows Natascha to relinquish control, to abandon routine, and to wait for the shades and shapes to appear – always new, always different.

Interview

©Natascha Maksimovic

©Natascha Maksimovic

What is the essence of suminagashi?: Suminagashi is an old Japanese printing technique based on ink freely floating on the surface of water. Guided by the hands of the printer, the paper collects the spontaneous patterns shaped by the ink. Very little control is possible and every pattern is unique and unrepeatable.
Why did you focus on this ancient technique?: Coherently with my studies, I initially started with screen printing but when I discovered suminagashi I felt in love and started focusing on this fascinating technique. It teaches you to let go, to drop all control and routines, and to wait for the revelation.
Is the element of surprise key in your work?: Absolutely. You can drive the outcome in terms of delicateness or drama, vibrant of pastel colours, but you will never know the exact pattern, the exact shades of colours that you will obtain in the end. It is all about meticulous preparation and having the right mindset to await the surprise.
What inspires your creativity?: I live by the sea, close to the landscapes that William Turner painted. Water and huge landscapes in general are a source of inspiration for me, but I also feel a strong affinity with other artists in terms of colour use, like American painter Helen Frankenthaler.

Natascha Maksimovic is a master artisan: she began her career in 2014 and she started teaching in 2017