Today we’d like to introduce you to Natasha Ragland.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I was always surrounded by creativity at home growing up — our family is a bunch of artistic dreamers. I always wanted to major in music and art. I never considered the fact that both of these fields are very precarious for a livelihood, I was too busy trying to fulfill the requirements for the auditions and coursework. I never thought about how I would make money when I was finished. My burning desire to be a songwriter and make recordings was part of me since I was three years old.
I started playing piano for the church in high school and continued to come home on weekends to play in church all through college. My dad was the weekly soloist, so we built up a large repertoire. When I graduated from Cal State Long Beach Magna cum Laude with my Bachelor’s of Arts degree in music, I started writing songs and attending workshops and song pitches in San Diego and Hollywood. I taught piano and voice — picking up students from church and word of mouth.
We had recitals every three months, and I joined the Music Teachers’ Association of California for seven years and collaborated with mentor teachers. I also collaborated with a lyricist for a while and acquired my own equipment to have a project recording studio in my bedroom. My boyfriend helped me with my recordings and all the technical frustrations I encountered. He is a gifted guitarist and midi expert, so that was refreshing to find him after struggling for many years taking classes at Mira Costa and Palomar Colleges for recording arts.
We worked on a duo and played gigs occasionally at parties and openings. I also performed special events with my family act called “The Jack Pack” — featuring my Dad singing and my mom adding comic touches in costumes, etc. I also played piano at the Santa Anita Nordstrom several times because my aunt Dorsey lives in Pasadena, and let me stay at her house when I was trying to attend Film Music Network meetings and Songwriter events in Los Angeles.
After my dog, Trovie died, I started painting because I wanted to capture his memory. This came so naturally to me because my dad was there to coach me.
It was much more gratifying than trying to write songs, and getting so frustrated with no one to help me. I started painting people’s pets, and my music students as dancers, ballerinas, fairies, angels, and musicians. Now that I’ve done a lot of paintings of people and animals, I’m focusing on landscapes. These have more universal appeal instead of painting likenesses of individuals. But when I paint a person — it always leaves a strong memory in my chapter.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
There has been a lot of uncertainty all along the way — when students quit, when I lost my steady church gig, etc. I constantly have a nagging worry that maybe I’ll have to become a janitor or get a job at Costco, but then some new student or an art submission for a show or children’s book, etc., or a commission to paint someone comes along and keeps me busy.
My boyfriend invested in property and built a house on it. Then the bank stole it away from him during the crash of 2008, and he lost his whole life’s savings and had to start from scratch and move up to Washington State to get work programming in machine shops.
I’ve been here with my parents for three years, but I have connections and church gigs here. My career is hard to just suddenly move somewhere else. It takes time to meet people and generate clientele.
We’d love to hear more about what you do.
I teach piano and voice to students of all ages. I am good at breaking down music, pushing my students to achieve their individual best, helping them work on skills they are weak in — like sightreading, or counting — if they struggle with rhythm. I help them write out notation with creative memory schemes in theory.
I will work with a voice student on pitch if they need help with that, and placement of the tone, working with the body to produce the best sound, and confidence with visuals and concepts to imagine. We also talk about the meaning of the song and interpretation with gestures.
I make recordings for them to rehearse with and take photos and videos of them for feedback. Performing as pianist and organist at churches, I dig around for exciting repertoire, I choose upbeat music, uplifting melodies. Piano is the joy of my life, I am a perfectionist, and I LOVE to practice.
As a painter, I create landscapes with elements from different places I know, and I depart from reality and go into fantasy idealism. I like to capture feelings of joy in my paintings — with dancers, or animals in a happy ambiance.
I also write songs and do concerts occasionally where I also sing — my objective is always to raise the vibration of mood with my music — with joyful thoughts and melodies.
What were you like growing up?
Since I was a kid, I always loved animals, had a strong conviction to be a vegetarian, and converted my whole family eventually — I stopped eating red meat in 3rd grade after my teacher read Charlotte’s Web, and I went off chicken and fish in 6th grade and started a vegetarian club in High School.
My parents and I went vegan when my mom had breast cancer. My mom healed from the inside out, without having chemotherapy or radiation. I love to cook vegan foods and make a green drink every day. I always loved dancing, gymnastics, diving, art, and music. I enjoy spending time with a person one on one, developing a strong friendship. I also spend a lot of time alone.
I am perfectionistic, so making recordings is one thing I enjoy as well as painting. I love to jog, be in nature, and photograph and paint animals. Portraits are a passion of mine and finding those moments of sparkle in the individual. My heart gravitates to children’s themes of innocence and fantasy.
I am also very concerned about recycling, preserving the earth and leaving a light footprint, to save it for the wildlife, and not trash up the planet.
Contact Info:
- Address: 5555 8th Street Fallbrook, CA 92028
- Website: Ragland Fine Arts Atelier
- Phone: 760-728-9503
- Email: natashamusicandart@gmail.com
Getting in touch: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
