Jun 73 min read

NATHALIE BANAIGS

For over twenty years Nathalie has been the force behind Kent Creative a lively organisation which helped to promote and improve connectivity between artists in Kent generally and particularly those from Faversham.

She curated exhibitions, presented rare silent film shows, hosted seminars (notably those online during the dark days of the pandemic) and memorably produced a series of Faversham 365 books which featured an image of the town and surroundings taken by a different local photographer on every day of the year.

A lack of sponsorship did not deter her and she personally part funded most of her artistic enterprises. Despite steadily draining her modest capital she nevertheless always approached her projects with genuine enthusiasm and prodigious energy.

Unfortunately to Faversham’s great loss she has now relocated to Sceaux in greater Paris where both the public and private financial support of the Arts is considerably more generous and enlightened. She will be much missed.

Her last event held at the Beany House of Art and Knowledge over three months earlier in 2024 was Story Tellers a large and ambitious exhibition of work by some of the most talented artists in Kent. This involved months of organisation and negotiation on her part but proved to be a tremendous success with many thousands of visitors.

Appreciation

By Joan Mackarell

When I moved from London to Faversham in 2010 I was so very lucky that Nathalie lived a few houses away in Faversham Reach. For over 20 years I had been a director of a jewellery and silver gallery in the Oxo Tower on London’s Southbank and I was rather apprehensive about finding new friends and fellow artists. From my Faversham house I used to see this tall strikingly attractive woman stride off to work and wondered what she did and how I could make contact. Very soon she took me under her wing and became a lasting friend who introduced me to the diverse creative community of Faversham and North Kent.

As well as organising exhibitions and conferences I so admired her dedication to support and promote the artists in the local area. During the pandemic Nathalie excelled at acting as a coordinator and organised weekly zoom sessions where artists could show their work and share ideas, problems and information.

It is such a shame that under the present economic climate here she has felt that her extensive talents would be more appreciated in her native France. I am so saddened that our beautiful friendship will have to be maintained over a greater distance but I wish her all the very best for her next adventure.

Thank you, so much lovely Nathalie, for all your invaluable help and glorious friendship over the last 14 years.

www.joanmackarell.com

Below we reproduce images from the Story Tellers exhibition and secondly, some of the memorable pictures Nathalie sourced from the many different local artists and photographers we have featured in earlier issues of the Eye.