Natalie Holland's Biography

Natalie Holland was born on 6 April 1962 in St Petersburg in Russia.

As a youngster her talents including both music and art. She studied at the School of Fine Arts in Novorossijsk and the Academy of Fine Arts in St Petersburg.

In the 1980s, Natalie moved with her mother, who had remarried a Norwegian, to Norway and settled there, initially as a music teacher.

She also married and had a daughter.

However, Natalie Holland never gave up her desire to be an artist and a big breakthrough came in 1990 when she started an apprenticeship with the highly regarded Norwegian painter Odd Nerdrum.

Before two years had passed Natalie Holland felt the time had come to move on: "I had to develop alone, and rid myself of distraction. I set up studio, and commenced."

In the 1990s her work was shown in Norway, Sweden and America.

At the turn of the 21st century her painting "The Bride", was sold for $33,000.

In 2003, her paintings were exhibited in the gallery Gruppo Donatello in Florence (article in Norwegian).

The following year Natalie Holland's project "Mortification of Self" created significant media attention. The paintings, which explored themes such as self-mutilation, plastic surgery and suicide, were exhibited in London at Gallery 27 and Oslo at Grev Wedels Plass Auksjoner.

In the 21st century Natalie Holland moved to Belsize Park in the north-west of London, whilst still maintaining strong links with Norway including from time to time running an advanced course in portrait painting at Frøvik farm.

In 2009, her portrait Agnes was selected for exhibition at the BP Portrait Award at The National Portrait Gallery, London.