Nate Duval Estrella

About Me

 I am  an 18 year old visual artist based in The Bronx, New York. I am currently a 2029 student at Fashion Institute of Technology, where I am studying Fine Arts. 

My practice centers on oil painting, drawing, colored pencil and oil pastel with occasional works on adobe illustrator and is driven by an intuitive, material-based process. I work from emotional states rather than predetermined outcomes, allowing each piece to develop through touch, repetition and sustained attention. I am particularly drawn to fauvism, and textured differences in a piece, using them to create images that feel suspended, quiet, or emotionally paused.

Beyond the studio, art informs the way I move through everyday life. This includes observation of life, my fashion, and therapeutic outlets. I view art not as something separate from living, but as a way of analyzation of reality.

I have participated in 3 exhibitions, including the Art Groove, and my work has been featured in The Under Ground Volume 31 and See Me Because Volume 15. I also completed internships with GroundsWell and ArtStart where I gained experience in public art, community engagement and being in professional studio environments.

At this stage of my career I am seeking residencies, commission, exhibitions, grants and representation that support experimentation and sustained studio time. My Long-term goal is to build a lasting artistic practice, exhibit internationally and sustain myself financially through art while remaining materially and emotionally honest in my work.