Art by Nate F. Austin NFA

My journey as an artist began at a very young age. At six years old, my mother noticed that my artistic skills were already advanced for my age. I fell in love with art in the most ordinary places—doodling on church fans and scrap paper during Sunday services. That spark led me to the Cleveland School of the Arts for high school, and later to The University of Toledo. Though art and self-expression took a backseat during parts of my collegiate years, I eventually returned to the passion, gift, and calling I could no longer run from.

Within the space of a blank canvas, my goal is to give voice to a world that is misrepresented, marginalized, and misunderstood, while magnifying the beauty that already exists. What fascinates me about art in any medium is its power to transport viewers beyond the logical and familiar, into spaces that challenge and unsettle. For some, my work resonates and confirms. For others, it informs and provokes. At its core, my art is dedicated to sharing the realities of the African American experience. Behind the eyes of a melanated people lies a story layered with love, joy, sorrow, and pain—a story I seek to honor.

I create using a variety of mediums—oils, acrylic, acrylic paint pen, charcoal, and collage—choosing whichever best allows my voice to project uniquely and boldly. My style continues to evolve: some pieces carry expressive and abstract movement, while others embrace realism. I often experiment with colors, textures, and subject matter, and recently I’ve begun weaving in text and literary references to deepen the narrative power of each piece.

While style grows with the artist, one constant in my work is my focus on human emotion. I am committed to challenging myself, embracing growth, and finding art in every situation—knowing that life itself is a series of marked canvases, each demanding its own voice.