About Natalie Ayas

My name is Natalie Ayas. I am a Prague-based artist, a member of the Pastel Guild of Europe and the Red Rock Pastel Society of Nevada USA.

Since childhood, spending plenty of time in the village outdoors, I admired the beauty of nature, and was especially fascinated by various animals and flowers. Painting them was, and still is, my favorite pastime.

Primarily self-taught, in recent years I have completed painting and drawing courses at several on-line and local art schools, being supported by talented and remarkable painters. Since 2018, I have been regularly participating in art workshops and learning from foreign and local artists, broadening my skill set and developing my own unique style.  

Having experience exploring and experimenting with a variety of art materials and techniques, I found soft pastels to be the medium I want to perfect myself in. Rich, pure pigments of soft pastel allow color vibration and visual mixing – qualities difficult to capture with other mediums. In this way, animals and flowers appeared to be the ideal objects to depict with this flexible material.

Using pastels, I create detailed, realistic and at the same time soft and airy works, inspired by the beauty of nature and light; show the fragility and delicacy of the flowers’ petals, softness and texture of animals’ fur.

Since 2020, I have decided to focus on painting animals (pets and wildlife) because I have been always passionate about them and would like to spend more time drawing what inspires me the most. Therefore, I have started taking pet portrait commissions and continue creating my own series of wildlife and domestic animals.

Regularly participating in art exhibitions, I have already received some awards for my artworks. My paintings and commissioned works of art reside in private collections across the Czech Republic, Russia, Turkey, Slovakia and the USA.