Nathalie Nostrand '17 (Studio Art)

Nathalie Nostrand is a Prop Stylist/Set Dresser at 11th St. Workshop in Manhattan. She received her Bachelor's degree in Art & Art History and Business from St Lawrence University in 2017.

Alumni Biography

I’m originally from Charlotte Vermont though I currently live in New York City for work. It’s a big change from St. Lawrence and Vermont but I really enjoy it and am extremely lucky working in a job that I am passionate about. I lived in Paris France in high school for two years which definitely increased my interest in the field that I am in now, and expanded my artistic abilities. I actually transferred from UCONN as a second semester first-year, but eventually changed to Business/ Art & Art History once at St. Lawrence. I was a member of the Tri- Delta Sorority throughout my years at St. Lawrence and spent a lot of time in the painting/drawing studios and Newell Center for Arts Technology. My senior year I actually worked as a lab Monitor in the NCAT and really loved it. I has a really close relationship with my Studio Art professors (Melissa Schulenberg, Sarah Knobel, and Kasarian Dane) and I think that really helped push me forward in my studies and get me to the finish line.

After graduating from SLU, I immediately moved down to live on Long Island with a fellow graduate and began working in the city as an administrative recruiter, hiring CEO-level executives. After a couple of months (and having moved into Manhattan with two fellow SLU graduates) I realized that it wasn’t what I wanted to be doing and quit on the spot. St. Lawrence taught me to network with everyone I met, so after going back to VT for a weekend, I was out on the lake with my dad and we ran into another couple. I struck up a conversation with the woman in the boat and she told me that her daughter works in NYC for 11th St. Workshop. At the time I actually had no idea what set design and prop styling was, but it sounded a lot like the work I had done at school. The woman gave me her daughters name (Kendyll), but no contact information. I tried very hard to get in contact with her. After a couple of weeks, she responded to one of the emails and said that we could meet up and that she would be interested in me assisting her if I seemed adequate. After working there for about a month, I was hired full-time. I have two of the absolute coolest bosses, and they are extremely prestigious in the industry. I work on advertising shoots and commercials, events, TV shows, music videos, etc. and while my job is extremely hands on, physically taxing and some days can be up to 20 hours, it is perfectly suited to my interests and what I was working on senior year in the studio. I think it really worked out how it should have, and I am glad that I went with my gut and quit my original job—otherwise I wouldn’t be in where I am now.  if you are interested in looking at some of the stuff I’ve been working on, you can check out the website for 11th St: 11thstworkshop.com.

I would like to give advice to current students: enjoy your time at SLU— get close with your professors and your peers down the hall. Every connection you make is a good one, and branch out from your immediate group of friends. Having as many Slu acquaintances as possible is one of the greatest gifts you will get in life. As for the prospective students: SLU was the greatest whirlwind of four years that I’ve ever experienced. I made friends that I will have forever and learned from some of the most incredible mentors. Appreciate the opportunity, because it’ll go by quick... but definitely choose St. Lawrence. It’ll be the best thing you’ve ever done.