Natalia Nicole Rodríguez

Natalia Nicole Rodríguez gives us a glimpse into her practice in her Sardinia studio and chats with us about how her work is influenced by place, chance, and emotion.

Uprise Art: Where are you from, and where do you reside?

Natalia Nicole Rodríguez: I’m originally from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Currently, I split my time between Puerto Rico and Italy because my partner is Italian.

UA: What necessities do you require when making your art?

NNR: It often depends on the mood I wake up in, but music is almost always a must for me when I’m working. I find it very difficult to work without it. Sometimes I start with jazz (I love jazz), but as I keep working, my music often shifts. I might move into more R&B like Doechii, and later switch to Latin indie pop like Judeline or Latin Mafia. I also like putting on the radio of those artists so I can discover new music while I’m painting.

UA: Describe a typical day in the studio for you.

NNR: It always starts very naturally. Sometimes it also depends on what I have on my to-do list, or if it is a sunny day or not. I find myself more inspired when there's a beautiful sun peaking out the window.

When I create a new series of works, I always do a lot of research on the theme I want to explore. I can spend hours researching and not even painting anything. I'm the type of artist who can not paint anything without researching first. I almost feel jealous of the artists who can just freestyle.

Natalia Nicole Rodríguez

UA: What is the most difficult part of the artistic process for you?

NNR: The most difficult part of my artistic process is when a creative block arrives. When it happens, it can feel almost endless because I don’t know when it will pass. That uncertainty makes it one of the hardest, and sometimes saddest, parts of being an artist (for me). During those moments, I start questioning many things, like whether I’m on the right path or if I should step away from it altogether. But when the spark comes back, it feels magical. Suddenly, I’m full of ideas again, and that energy reminds me why I love creating in the first place.

UA: Are there any aspects of your process that are left to chance?

NNR: Yes! Right now, I’m working with a screen print monotype technique that is largely driven by chance. With this process, I can’t replicate a piece. After loading paint onto the screen, I use a wooden squeegee to pull the paint across it, but the way the paint moves and settles is unpredictable, so each piece comes out differently. You also have to work quickly because if the paint starts to dry on the screen, it can ruin the piece entirely. To be honest, it's a very stressful process, but the element of unpredictability is what makes each piece unique and keeps the creative process exciting and new.

UA: How do you choose your materials?

NNR: I adore working with wood, as well as 100% linen and cotton, and embroidered silk. I love the way these materials feel and the textures they bring to the work. I usually try to choose natural materials, and since I often paint natural elements, using natural surfaces makes the work feel more authentic and connected.

UA: How does your choice of material inform the final piece?

NNR: My choice of materials plays a big role in the final piece because each surface brings a different texture and energy to the work. Wood, for example, adds warmth and depth, while linen and cotton allow the paint to move in a softer, more organic way. But it always depends on the theme of the work. Once I understand what I want to express, I decide which materials will best support that idea.

UA: How has your work developed in the past few years, and how do you see it evolving in the future?

NNR: Over the past few years, my work has become more personal and experimental.

Growing up in Puerto Rico has given me a lot of inspiration. Traveling has also played an important role in how my work has been taking shape. Every time I visit a new place, it brings new perspectives and inspiration. We only have one life, and we have to take advantage of every moment to discover as much as possible. 

Natalia Nicole Rodríguez

Looking ahead, I would like to keep evolving while staying honest to myself, allowing my work to grow as I grow.

UA: When did you begin your current practice?

NNR: I started my practice while studying graphic design in university, experimenting with flowers, nature, and large surfaces. I painted big murals before I ever touched a studio brush. In 2020, when COVID arrived, I was forced to adapt and find a new way of working, since we couldn’t leave our homes. I absolutely needed to keep painting, so I began working at home, which led me to research and experiment more deeply to give my pieces a stronger voice. Over time, this process naturally transitioned into my current studio practice.

UA: What led you to develop your current process, and how did you know it was the right one to pursue?

NNR: I feel like my artistic process has developed through many different seasons, almost like chapters that have led me to where I am now. My time in Europe has influenced my work a lot, because it made me feel freer to experiment and try new techniques.

During a trip to Scotland, I tried screen print monotypes for the very first time. I immediately fell in love with the process. It felt very natural to me. From that moment, I knew I wanted to keep exploring it. This technique allowed my work to become more fluid and expressive, moving away from the more rigid, graphic style that characterized my work in earlier years. I don’t know if it’s the right one, but it sure feels like it. I feel myself, and that's how art is supposed to feel.

UA: Do you find that the environment and your surroundings relate to your work?

NNR: Yes, very much so. Like Philip Guston once said, “I paint what I want to see.” For me, it’s something closer to ‘I paint what I see.’ My surroundings influence my work a lot. I move back and forth between my home of Puerto Rico, and Italy, which feels like my second home, and every time I change places, my work shifts as well. Puerto Rico is a very vibrant and colorful island, while Italy and Europe in general often leans toward a softer, more natural color palette. Because of that, my paintings tend to reflect what I’m visually absorbing at the moment. When I’m surrounded by bright, saturated colors, my work becomes more vibrant; when I’m surrounded by softer tones, my palette naturally becomes more muted.

UA: Where do you feel you create your strongest work?

NNR: I feel I create my strongest work when I’m creating for myself rather than for others. There’s a sense of freedom in making something without the pressure of wondering whether it will resonate with people or if it might be too much or too little. At the same time, I don’t really think of my work in terms of ‘strongest’ pieces. For me, it's an ongoing learning process, and each year I grow and evolve.

What I love most is being able to look back at my works and remember what I was feeling at that moment, and if I know I was mentally content while creating it, then I can say that’s a strong work.

Natalia Nicole Rodríguez

UA: What tangible objects or intangible moments are you most interested in representing through your works?

NNR: I’m often drawn to flowers and elements from nature; they appear frequently in my pieces and act as a kind of visual language.

UA: What are some themes you find recurring in your pieces, intentional or not?

NNR: Some recurring themes in my work are love, nostalgia, and my relationship with life itself. By love, I don’t just mean romantic love; I also mean the heartbreak of missing the place you call home, the nostalgia for a friendship that has faded, or the bittersweet feeling when time passes.

At the same time, my work explores the joy of connection, the comfort of being with the people you love, and the sense of safety that a season or a particular moment can bring. I also love how I've been able to link specific moments and conversations into my work. For example, last year I was at dinner with some friends, and one of them was talking about feeling lost and unhappy in her life, but with a joking tone, and something about the way she said it stuck with me. I immediately pulled out my notes app on my phone and wrote down: ‘Tears in her eyes, smile on her face.’ That phrase eventually became the title and inspiration for one of my pieces for a group show in Canada.

UA: Where do you find your day-to-day inspiration?

NNR: I find day-to-day inspiration in both travel and nature, especially flowers. I love traveling specifically to visit museums and galleries, but when I can’t hop on a plane, scrolling through Pinterest helps spark new ideas.

I also have a personal ritual: every Saturday, I drive to the nearest flower market to pick out fresh flowers. There’s something about stepping into a flower shop or plant nursery that recharges my soul; it makes me so, so happy and always puts me in the best mood.

UA: Did you go to art school?

NNR: No, but I did go to an architecture university that had a school of graphic design and marketing. Here, I learned the roots of design that made me start my journey of creating art.

UA: How has your design background influenced your practice?

NNR: My graphic design background has influenced my work from the very first day I decided to make art, and it continues to do so. It shows in the way I plan compositions, often starting digitally on my computer before translating sketches into real life, how I create color palettes, and how to consider not just what looks beautiful, but how elements work together to communicate a mood or idea, which continues to shape the way I approach every artwork. For this, I'm very grateful to have studied graphic design because it taught me so many other important concepts that traditional art school doesn’t even cover.

UA: Do you remember the first work of art that captured your attention?

NNR: If I had to choose one that comes to mind, it would be Monet’s Water Lilies. I saw it for the first time in New York in 2017, and I still remember the feeling of standing in front of it. It was breathtaking.

UA: Do you admire or draw inspiration from any of your peers who are also working now?

NNR: Thanks to social media, I’ve been able to discover so many incredible artists and creatives that it almost seems impossible to name just a few. However, at this moment, I’m particularly inspired by Fabio Schirru, who goes by Tellas.

Beyond his aesthetic, his idea that art should connect us to our surroundings, whether that’s through public installations or his more intimate works, is something I relate to. Art, for him, is not just about self-expression but about creating a dialogue with the world and with nature. It reminds me of why I started making art in the first place: to highlight the beauty and complexity of life and to encourage others to see the world around them in a new way.

So, while there are many artists I admire, his work has had a profound impact on me recently, particularly because of the way his artistic practice has a deep connection to nature.

UA: Are you influenced by any artists who do something completely different than you?

NNR: Music is a big part of my work, so if I had to name one person, it would absolutely be Jillian Rose Banks, aka BANKS. The way she writes and performs her music is deeply emotional and honest. The way she writes her songs, with such grace & emotion, it's like she finds the beauty in pain.

UA: Is there any artwork on display in your home or studio?

NNR: My partner is also an artist, I don’t want to sound biased lol but I truly adore his work - even before we met. So in our home and studio, we have a mix of his pieces, mine, and works by some of our friends who are also artists.

UA: What’s one of your favorite objects you own?

NNR: I would say all the vases in my home. I love collecting ceramic vases, whether vintage pieces or works by contemporary artists. Two of my favorites that I can think of right now are: one by a Spanish ceramist, Raquel Riola, and the other is a leather-woven vase by French artist Emma Batsheva. They are truly unique and special pieces, and I love how they add life and character to my space.

UA: Is there something people would be surprised to learn about you?

NNR: I speak three languages fluently: Spanish, English, and Italian. Also, I don't have a favorite color lol

UA: What's next for you?

NNR: I’m very happy with the direction my work has taken. In this moment, I’ve been able to push my work in ways I've never thought I could, and for that, I’m grateful that I've had the opportunity to do so. Looking ahead, I’m filled with excitement about the new possibilities and collaborations that the future holds.

Published March 2026