Natasha Best (She/Her)
Natasha Beste (USA) is a video & installation artist, animator, performer, and educator born in Royal Oak, Michigan in 1982. Her work is unified through personal narratives surrounding the mind, body, and trauma. She received a BA in Media Arts and Communication from Wayne State University, in Detroit, MI (2005). Her work has been showcased at the Ann Arbor Film Festival, Media City, Arizona Underground Film Festival, Museum of Contemporary Arts Detroit (MOCAD), Northend Studios, and University of Michigan / Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design: work • detroit. She has been in collaboration with Kresge Arts in Detroit and Cranbrook Museum. Since 2010, she's been co-director of Gold House Media, a boutique video production company focusing on music videos, documentary, and television/podcast production whose work has helped socially progressive Detroit nonprofit organizations raise funds and win special award grants for vital programs. Since 2006, she has taught media arts in Michigan at Wayne State University and Marygrove University – also serving Detroit neighborhood programs including Boll Family Y-Arts and Ladybug Studios. She is currently teaching at the College for Creative Studies (since 2016) and Living Arts (since 2006). In 2022, she received a Gilda Award for interdisciplinary art.
Animation Teaching Artists
Q: What is the funniest thing you’ve heard a young person say?
A: I do not have kids of my own so some young people are confused by that – one responded with, "so YOU are the kid of the house?!"
Q: If you could be BFF’s with any fictional character, who would it be?
A: I always wanted to visit Pee-wee Herman's Playhouse and be friends with everyone there! Paul Reubens is a huge inspiration along with artist Wayne White and all the characters created for the show. Penny the cartoon is one reason why I got into stop-motion animation.
Q: What art form or hobby have you always wanted to try?
A: Martial Arts would be so cool – I would love to be able to spin around and have amazing balance and strength!
Q: What is the most memorable or impactful art experience you’ve had as an adult?
A: In 2020, I created an experimental film about my processes of healing after the death of my Mom. If was extremely personal but well received, further motivating me to always be true to myself and have no fear when it comes to sharing my stories through my work. This is something I try to inspire my students to do as well. :-)