Natalia Shields

Artist Bio

Natalia has practiced photography for about 25 years, showing her work regularly in the GTA since 2010 and in the Niagara Region since 2014. Her interest in photography, first sparked during a career as an art educator, quickly became a passion. Her subjects have included tree and nature studies, landscapes, architecture, cityscapes, and abstract works, always with a keen focus on composition. Recently, she has had the privilege to travel to countries beyond Canada, exploring the history, culture, cities, countryside and geography of the places visited, which become the source and inspiration for much of her current photographic work. With either a Nikon SLR or an i-Phone 17 Pro Max camera, she captures, then processes images as needed using Adobe LIghtroom & Photoshop software apps. Natalia prints many of her own archival images using a pro Epson inkjet printer and fine art photo printing papers, the exception being images on canvas which are printed and stretched on kiln dried wood framing by a company that guarantees 200 years longevity for their prints. Natalia completed a 3 yr. design program in Fashion Arts at St. Lawrence College, Kingston, attained a BA., Fine Arts Theme at York Univ. and a B.Ed. at U. of T. A secondary school educator with the Peel District School Board, she retired from teaching after a career spanning 30 years. Natalia has been a WAAC member since 2010. She was a founding member of f8 Photography Collective, a Toronto-based photography group, and for 11 years, has been a volunteer committee member of the Pelham Art Festival in the Niagara region where she currently lives.