The next step in Natalie Hutchings’ ’17 evolution

By Megan Bradshaw on July 31, 2019

Towson University alumna Natalie Hutchings ’17 received the International Sculpture Center’s 2019 Outstanding Student Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture award—given to encourage early-career sculptors. 

But to call her an “emerging artist” isn’t accurate.

She’s evolving.

Hutchings took a circuitous route to her art career. Growing up in Texas, she internalized the examples of her mother, a graphic designer who worked entirely by hand, and her grandmother, who built furniture and houses. One of Hutchings’ earliest memories is using the scroll saw in her grandmother’s basement to make doll furniture. 

Although her grandmother has died, Hutchings still has her hammer and that saw. 

She enrolled in the University of Texas-Austin at 17 but withdrew and worked full time as a graphic designer for 10 years. Hutchings got married and had a baby. She returned to school full time at TU when her daughter entered kindergarten.

The Honors College student enrolled in the interdisciplinary object design (IOD) program in the College of Fine Arts and Communication. 

“Honors was good because I have a lot of different interests and got to explore them through the challenging classes offered at TU,” says Hutchings. “I chose TU primarily for the IOD program. I think of myself as a ‘techie artist.’ I’m always interested in thinking about what’s next. The program was a great opportunity to get my hands dirty using the technology.”

Hutchings has explored film, engineering and contemporary art; she feels the breadth of topics has opened the world to her. 

“The variety lets me study as deep as I want, talk to anyone in the field I want and gives me a license to reach out to people to learn about their art and art in general,” she says.

Although Hutchings has since completed her MFA at the University of Delaware, she has fond memories of working with TU’s Joshua Demonte, Jon Lundak and Leslie Boyd during her undergraduate years.

“Joshua is brilliant. He was always the one who didn’t accept anything less than students’ best,” she says. “I really respect that. Jon Lundak in sculpture has always been a great supporter who still cheers me on over social media. He is nurturing and supportive. I took a ton of Leslie Boyd’s classes, and she is very good at challenging limits of the media.” 

Hutchings’ mother died around the time Hutchings was exploring graduate schools, but she felt she owed it to her mother—who put off pursuing personal art passions until her retirement—to push on and complete her studies. 

She chose the University of Delaware, receiving full tuition remission and serving as an instructor of record for three years. Hutchings was chosen for the Delaware Contemporary’s Biennial her first year and recently traveled to Berlin with her cohort to participate in a show.

She was also selected as a Delaware Public Humanities Institute (DELPHI) fellow, a two-week workshop on public engagement. Hutchings credits the program with helping her overcome her reticence in talking about her own art and opening the door to her evolution from sculpture to performance art improv.

“My present work is about speculative futurism,” she explains. “I use my art objects as props in fictional scenarios to illustrate points about social practices and current events.”

Hutchings notes that her previous work centered on making one object “say everything.” However, a conversation with her graduate school advisers helped her realize objects can be a conversation.

“By being in a space, the objects became active participants,” she says. “That conversation enabled me to expand my practice beyond the single piece.” 

Hutchings has joined the Vox Populi Gallery, an artist collective in Philadelphia.

“It’s a great way to get plugged in to the Philly art scene,” Hutchings says. “Art happens in community. It is a social movement. I believe artists are cultural watchmen. It gives us an outsider perspective about where we’re going.”

Hutchings isn’t ruling out a return to sculpture in the future, but for now she is looking forward to the routes Vox Populi opens for her. 

“I make big projects that I really need to have help with; my ideas are for collectives, not individuals.” 

MORE INFORMATION

Studying art + design at TU

Art + design majors choose from a wide range of concentrations that prepare students for a variety of careers in art, design, craft and entrepreneurial opportunities related to craft.

• Learn more about the art + design major and the interdisciplinary object design concentration.
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