Natalija Vocanec is a contemporary Australian artist whose distinctive use of mediums and bold perspective have defined her career. Based in the coastal town of Shellharbour, south of Sydney, Natalija was born in Austria and raised in Australia. Surrounded by creativity from an early age, she experimented endlessly with techniques and materials before formally pursuing her arts education, later completing a Diploma in Fine Arts at West Wollongong TAFE and continuing her education with a Bachelor of Fine Arts at Curtin University.
During her studies, she founded Da Vinci Art Studio—a vibrant creative hub in Shellharbour where she continues to teach and inspire both children and adults. As an environmental and humanitarian artist, Natalija’s work reflects her deep concern for the relationship between preservation and development, as well as the fragile connection between humanity and the natural world.
Her aerial perspective paintings, often inspired by her own drone photography of the Australian coastline, transform the textures of land and sea into layered, multimedia works that capture the energy, movement, and viscosity of nature itself. Yet her practice is far broader than these iconic landscapes. Natalija also explores the human form, flora, and fauna—each subject approached with the same curiosity and reverence for life.
Her mediums are as varied as her subject matter, ranging from oils, encaustics, and raw pigments to cold wax, watercolour, and inks. This fearless experimentation across both material and theme reflects her belief that an artist must continually grow, learn, and push beyond boundaries.
Exhibited both locally and internationally, Natalija’s paintings can be found in private collections and businesses across the Illawarra and South Coast. Her practice is not only about creating art, but about inviting others to reconnect—with themselves, with each other, and with the natural world.
I have always felt an unshakable connection to nature. Time spent in the natural world is essential—it grounds us, relieves stress, and reminds us of the wonder that surrounds us. Yet in today’s digital age, many of us have grown detached from this source of balance and inspiration. That disconnection can lead to isolation, and worse, to a loss of appreciation for the extraordinary beauty of our planet. Through my art, I seek to bridge that divide. My practice is a way of honouring nature while exploring what it means to be human.
By layering textures, pigments, and encaustic mediums, I invite viewers to see both the environment and themselves from fresh perspectives. I am experimental not only in my practice but also in my subject matter. I am not bound to one discipline—while my aerial landscapes hold a strong place in my body of work, I also explore the human form, flora, and fauna. My mediums are equally diverse: oils, encaustics, raw pigments, cold wax, watercolour, and inks. For me, being an artist is much like being a scientist—constantly testing, questioning, and experimenting in search of deeper truths. My own pursuit
is to uncover the ultimate formula that can encase raw emotion and visual communication within each piece I create. My work is as much about feeling as it is about form—an invitation to pause, reflect, and reconnect with the rhythms of the natural world.
Natalija Vocanec
