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Natalie ToplassDark Materials - original realism still life oil painting - contemporary art2025
2025
$3,973.48
£2,900
€3,382.69
CA$5,442.68
A$6,053.45
CHF 3,160.92
MX$73,664.01
NOK 40,369.80
SEK 37,859.75
DKK 25,246.34
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About the Item
This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet Contemporary Art Gallery and online.
Natalie Toplass’s Dark Materials is a mesmerizing fusion of the natural world’s intricacies and an almost fantastical sense of movement. Set against a rich, moody green backdrop, the painting’s luminous details emerge with striking clarity—velvety petals, the gleam of a fish’s scales, the iridescent shimmer of a butterfly’s wings. At the heart of the composition, a striking betta fish, with its flowing, flame-like fins, swims effortlessly amidst a lush arrangement of oversized flowers, twisting vines, and delicate creatures. The interplay of air, water, and earth blurs the boundaries between worlds, creating a dreamlike harmony between flora and fauna.
Toplass brings together an array of life forms, each rendered with meticulous realism yet positioned in a surreal, weightless environment. A woodpecker, a canary in mid-flight, a curled seahorse—each element seems to exist in its own time and space, yet they converge in a composition that feels both organic and orchestrated. The detailed textures of petals and feathers, the way light catches on translucent shells and glossy leaves, reveal a reverence for nature’s complexity. The swirling motion within the piece gives it an energy that suggests transformation, evolution, and interconnectedness.
Through her masterful control of light and contrast, Toplass elevates Dark Materials beyond a still-life into something almost theatrical, filled with movement and depth. The dark, atmospheric background serves as the perfect stage for the luminous forms that emerge from it, giving the painting a sense of mystery and enchantment. Dark Materials is an evocative celebration of nature’s beauty and fragility, an artwork that invites the viewer to explore its details and uncover its secrets. This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet Contemporary Art Gallery and online.
Artist biography:
Natalie Toplass began painting professionally in 2003 after moving to Shropshire. She holds a Fine Art degree and a postgraduate qualification in Stage and Set Design.
Growing up in Cheshire, Natalie developed a passion for drawing from an early age. When her parents opened a florist shop, she often sketched unsold flowers at home, carefully rendering them to scale in colored pencil. This early fascination with botanical forms became a defining moment in her artistic journey.
From childhood sketchbooks to large-scale oil paintings, Natalie’s work has evolved into striking, magnified floral compositions. She attributes her affinity for large-scale art to her experience as a scenic artist—an adventurous role that took her around the world and shaped her creative perspective.
Her current works incorporate narrative elements inspired by the weathered beauty of abandoned country houses and the intriguing curiosities she discovers on countryside walks with her dog. These influences help create a visual story within each piece.
Natalie’s goal is to capture the emotions and sensory experiences she feels when immersed in nature. Even the simplest details can evoke deep emotions, and she strives to translate this connection onto canvas. Scale plays a crucial role in her work—by enlarging her subjects, she heightens their presence, inviting the viewer to be enveloped by their beauty and whimsy.
Her technique has been honed through meticulous observation and continuous experimentation, embracing the challenges of artistic growth.
Natalie’s work has been exhibited internationally, including in Tokyo, Singapore, London, New York, and Australia, as well as in her home county of Shropshire. She has been featured in Artists & Illustrators magazine (2007), Shropshire Living (2021), and Collect Art magazine (2023). Additionally, she has delivered masterclasses at the prestigious West Dean College in Chichester.
Discover the mesmerizing surreal realism of renowned artist Natalie Toplass, exclusively available at Signet Contemporary Art. Each meticulously crafted painting reflects her exceptional skill and dedication to capturing the world with breathtaking detail. Whether you're looking to elevate your personal collection or bring a striking work of art into your home, you can explore and acquire these stunning pieces through our online gallery—allowing you to experience their beauty from anywhere.
“Whilst my work is discernibly representative, I wish the viewer to feel drawn into what becomes for me a speculative visual story combining colour, whimsy, natural life and occasionally humour. The medium is oil built up in many layers to create a vivid and translucent finish, this process also supports a depth and intensity of colour enhancing the drama.
I’ve been trying to get to the core of why I have these recurring themes running through my work and after much ruminating I’ve realised the natural life element is enormously important. The natural world displays incredible diversity and tenacity adjacent with transience and fragility. You see the interconnectedness of nature, that you are part of something bigger, something vital that pays no attention to theology or wealth, and I delight in that liberation.
Adjacent to these core values, occasionally acting as a kind of ‘theatrical’ setting, is a still life aspect to my work, drawing ideas from neglected or discarded objects and places- creating a visual connection. It’s these aspects that develop their own provinence, their own stories that I find interesting, and realising that a narrative is fundamental to my painting by combining the two is fascinating and ever evolving.
”- Natalie Toplass
- Creator:Natalie Toplass
- Creation Year:2025
- Dimensions:Height: 29.53 in (75 cm)Width: 29.53 in (75 cm)Depth: 1.19 in (3 cm)
- Medium:
- Movement & Style:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Gallery Location:London, GB
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU468316462062
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