Nathalie Lété
Artist, Studio, Paris
Hi, Could you tell us who you are and where do you come from?
I'm a woman artist of 51 years old, and I am born in Paris, from a German mother and a Chinese father. I live in Paris, I'm married with a French painter and I'm a mother of two kids of 17 and 20 years old.
Your work is really poetic with a total freedom. Where do you find your inspiration?
I do similar things as I did when I was a kid. I mix different technics, colors, mediums, style of art... I like a patch of my favorite themes (animals, pattern of textiles, Flowers, vintage toys, folk art...) to build a personal world which gives me happiness and self confidence. I like to paint, to do ceramics, to embroid. I love textile, vibrations of colors, and try to have emotions and if possible to give the others some emotions through my work.
Are you formally trained or self-taught? And what defines good design for you?
I studied at L'école des arts appliqués Duperé and then L'école des beaux arts in Paris. But I am also very interested in rough work, and I specially like when art stay naive. So I like to try to keep freshness and the naivety of the childhood. That is one of the definition for me of a good work. Also the most important thing to me: a good work should gives me emotions, it should surprise me and gives me the feeling of harmony.
Can you describe your job in 3 words?
My job in three words: organisation, creation, open my eyes..
For how long are you working in this studio and is there a story you can share about this place?
We bought this place 15 years ago, at the same time as our house which is just next to it. It was a solution to have the kids in the garden playing with other kids at same time as working... This is an old factory of metal, where they did some part of the eiffel tower. I like to live here because it is next to Paris, and I have the space, light, garden to eat outside by nice weather, and it is quite.
What do you love about living here?
I love Paris, because as a nostalgic person, I really feel the past, and I enjoy to imagine myself at the 19 century. I particulary like it in the morning very early, when the streets are empty and just the first people begin to work and open their cafés...
How do you start your day and what does your daily routine looks like?
A regular day is waking up at 7am, taking my breakfast while reading emails and Instagram. Going to work at 8:30 am after the home occupations of a mother, work until 1 pm in my studio which is 5 minutes from my house. Have a break with my husband for the lunch at home, eating all the rests of our last dinner, and then go back to work until 6 pm. Prepare dinner, watch tv with my husband and do foot massage at same time to each others and go to bed around 10.30. I have a very very regular life. I don't need really to go out and see friends. I do not have a big social life, even if i would like sometimes to go out more. I don't have the energy to do it really...
Week ends, we go for a walk in the forest with our dachshund, and visit an exhibition, go to work 3 hours in the studio, come back to see a movie and have sometimes dinners with friends. My husband is going often to vernissages and have many artist friends. I like to stay at home and read books, keep all my energy for my work in fact. I must say that my job is the most important thing in my life, it feeds me really.
Thank you Nathalie for your time! You have the most colorful and dreaming studio. Please check her website at www.nathalie-lete.com.