Welcome To Natalie “Nads Pee” Preston’s Choose-Your-Own-Artist Statement! 

Would you like to play or are you here for business?

To play proceed to 1. For business please skip to 2. 

Hey… you didn’t choose 1 or 2? What are you? Some kinda radical? Skip to 6 or go straight to jail!

1. Life is more fun when we play, right? Art is a great place for experimentation and a fantastic outlet for expressing things we may not have the vocabulary to express. I emphasize the importance of play, personal experience, and expression in my studio practice. When you see my work I hope it… proceed to 4.

2. The core impulse in my work can only be known through experiencing it. I hope you’ve taken your time to look at the work before reading my statement. If you’re fascinated, please go to part 1. If you’re confused about what’s happening here please go to part 3. If you’d consider yourself “a little stinker” jump to 6.

3. Life can be frustrating and confusing sometimes. I consider art a reflection of life, and it’s important to witness the complexities of our experiences in a non-judgemental way. This is a choose-your-own-adventure artist statement. The way that this statement functions is meant to mirror as well as describe my studio practice. The goal of my practice is that it… continues to 4. 

4. Brings us together despite life's many complexities and divisions. My work invites you to touch, play, and create your own narrative. Viewers ask artists “What does it mean?” I invite you to assemble the meaning between yourself and the work. There is no secret meaning… but do you want to know a secret…Skip to 7.

Hey… ya just gonna keep reading and ignore the rules like that? Ok, alright wise guy… keep reading…

6. I think this is probably a lot of things I’m not supposed to say in an artist statement, but here goes: I have studied the schools that my work is descendant from and can position my studio practice in a long line of symbolist, feminist, and interdisciplinary artists. However, I find that most artist statements are an exercise in flexing the artists' aptitude for abstract nonsense, which I understand aids gallerists in befuddling the wealthy layman into spending exorbitant amounts of money on art. I am, as an artist, enmeshed in this system and have also learned how to practice the art of “international art language” aka bullshittery. I’m willing to align myself with the commercial institution of art, despite it being broken, privileged, classist, misogynistic, ableist, and mostly inhospitable to honesty and sincerity because like most artists, I was born an artist and know nothing else. Regardless, because I have to continue the exhausting and obsolete practice of constructing a literary side-piece for my work… I did what no one should do and tried to turn my artist statement into a choose-your-own-adventure book. The end. Start over now and this time don’t be so damn radical.

7. In my practice, you’re the protagonist. You animate, view, decide, and experience the work. I present you with a space to play, full of realistic unpredictability, elements of safe chaos, the possibility of new and endless meanings, and new and meaningful endings. Finish reading here or continue to 8. It’s all up to you.

8. Art can and should be accessible. Your experience should bring you pleasure. Whether you’re here for intellectual pursuits or fun…thank you for looking and reading. Even if my art does not bring you joy, I hope that you do find meaningful art that you connect with. Now go play! (Or… join my crime syndicate by leaping back to part 6)