Subscribe to the 100% free rdnewsNOW daily newsletter!
(Photo: Submitted)
This month!

“Cat-a-tude” an art exhibition with heart

Sep 4, 2019 | 10:34 AM

A local animal lover is putting her deep love for cats on display.

“Cat-a-tude” is an exhibition of artwork created by Natalie Schmidt and is presented by the Harris-Warke Gallery. It is on from September 6 – 30 in the Viewpoint Gallery at the City of Red Deer Culture Services building (5208-48 Ave.).

Natalie Schmidt was born in Red Deer and spent some of her younger years in the hamlet of Huxley, approximately 45 minutes south of Red Deer.

After moving to Red Deer, she attended Westpark Elementary, following by Parkland School and then Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive High School. She later went on to Red Deer College where she graduated from the Transitional Vocational Program (TVP).

After finishing school Natalie worked at Tim Horton’s for a brief time and then decided she wanted to do some volunteering. She discovered that she wanted to be an avid full-time self-advocate and participated in various programs and groups at CARS (Central Alberta Residents Society). She had various opportunities to shine and rose through the ranks to be voted president by her teammates, doing this for several years.

Her parents say Natalie has always been very interested in art, especially painting, and has a natural ability for it. In 2018 she decided to start participating full time in Erin Boake’s daytime acrylic painting.

Erin took Natalie under her wing and allowed Natalie to attend her classes, becoming her full time painting teacher. With Erin’s help and enthusiasm Natalie’s painting became her greatest love. She started painting her pets. First her two dogs named Dobbs and Harley, and then her ten rescue kitties.

Natalie also enjoys reading, libraries, museum programs, walking and butterflies. She has many other talents including creating a wide assortment of crafts, and loves bowling, having been selected to play in the Special Olympics Nationals bowling competition in Sudbury, Ontario.

Natalie resides at home with her family, who are very proud of her and all her accomplishments. Her family includes her younger brother, Adam, older brother, Dwight (who resides in London, England), her mother, Janet, and her Dad, Jon, and of course her ten indoor rescue kitties.