Rigby woman who creates and sells watercolor paintings is celebrating 6 years of operation

Natalie Mecham with brush in hand at her Rigby art studio, where she creates and sells original watercolor paintings. Watch her create a watercolor painting in the video above. | Rett Nelson, EastIdahoNews.com

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RIGBY

She started painting to deal with childhood trauma and now owns an in-home art studio

Natalie Mecham’s art studio in her Rigby home. | Rett Nelson, EastIdahoNews.com

RIGBY – Natalie Mecham started painting years ago as a way to deal with childhood trauma. Today, the 37-year-old Rigby woman owns Natalie Mecham Art, an art studio at her home where she sells watercolor paintings online. Through her Facebook group, The Creative Kind, she also hosts a monthly auction that benefits a local charity.

This month marks the sixth anniversary since launching the Facebook group. She invited EastIdahoNews.com to her in-home studio for a look inside. Watch her paint a night sky in the video above.

Mecham says she specializes in portraits and animals, and offers individual custom paintings of people’s deceased loved ones for those who request it. Painting portraits are her favorite.

“I’ve done a few of my kids and I like those the most,” Mecham says.

Mecham is self-taught and has no formal training as an artist. She didn’t start painting until recently. It was drawing that initially captured her imagination.

Mecham’s father committed suicided when she was young and her mom was abusive on top of that. She found escape in creating art. When she launched her art business in 2016, providing funds for suicide prevention organizations became a cause that was important to her.

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In 2011, she had two twin boys who died 34 hours after birth because they were born 17 weeks early. She dealt with her grief by getting involved in causes that help children. The Salvation Army Angel Tree program is something she participates in every year.

She and her husband, Keith, are now the parents of two twin girls. That life event drew her to watercolor painting.

“I was put on bed rest while I was pregnant and watercolor was the only thing I could do while laying in bed,” Natalie says. “I’ve been doing it ever since.”

One of her first watercolor paintings, an incomplete portrait of her herself, hangs just outside the studio in her home.

Mecham painted this portrait of herself years ago when she was on bed rest while pregnant with her girls. She went into surgery and was never able to finish it. | Rett Nelson, EastIdahoNews.com

“Doing something kind” is what motivates Natalie to keep going and it’s rewarding for her to give back through her artwork.

She recently started teaching art classes online for adults but would like to start teaching classes for kids at her studio.

To celebrate the six year anniversary of her Facebook auction group, The Creative Kind, Natalie is giving away prizes all month long. The auction is happening July 23 and 20% of the proceeds will benefit the Upper Valley Child Advocacy Center.

A watercolor painting of Mecham and her twin girls. | Rett Nelson, EastIdahoNews.com

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