Four jalapeno pepper poppers guide us back to ourselves.
Natalie Derr is an experimental artist, fierce community activist, and a creative technologist at Islands of Brilliance. She’s also been chased by a rabid deer, raised a pet gopher, and shot a turkey on the day of prom. With every slide of her presentation, we were blasted off further into another, more present orbit. The journey Natalie brought us on was one of inventive self-reflection. By the end, we were covered with goosebumps and waxed with a wicked need to try something new, give more to others, and try our darndest. This, as Natalie’s late grandfather would often attest, is all we can take with us when the sun finally sets.
About the speaker
From country to city mouse, Natalie Derr, an experimental artist, aims to use her background in Digital Studio Practice and Painting & Drawing as tools for creative intervention into the exploration of young people’s identities. As a Lead Creative Technologist at the Milwaukee non-profit Islands of Brilliance, Natalie is passionately curious about our diverse imaginations and how to exercise empathy through the shared experience of artwork. She wholeheartedly believes, “Everyone is creative and wants curated safe spaces where more of us can embrace our innate creativity.”
Outside of her day job, you can find Natalie playing with playdough, coloring with crayons, creating artwork for organizing communities and demonstrations, going for long bike rides, or scouring the local thrift shops (more often than not doing a nice melody of all the above mentioned). Derr values youth mentorship by empowering creative expression. Natalie has curated programming for Vel R. Phillips Juvenile Justice Center, Milwaukee College Prep, Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences in Bhubaneswar India, Sop Chem Primary School in Laos, Ban Nong Bua in Thailand, and IOB’s Fellowship program that serves youth on the spectrum in rural areas of Wisconsin.
Email: natalie@islandsofbrilliance.org
Instagram: @cowgirlwithapaintbrush
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