Outside the Mind of Nathalie Nguyen

As a paintbrush swiftly glides across a pristine white, untouched canvas, Nathalie Nguyen begins to conjure a small universe from scratch. She’s a self-proclaimed maximalist, so the creative shares that she doesn’t usually struggle with artist’s block — rather, she has to tackle the opposite. Most of Nathalie’s days differ, bringing her from her LES studio to in-person consultations for her brand, Happy 99. But between the craze, one thing remains: her curiosity.  

Nathalie mentioned that her craft originally began as a desire to defy the norm and to infuse her work with a sense of whimsy and lightheartedness that the fine art industry often lacks. Her undertaking has evolved over time — traversing the lanes of three-dimensional artwork as well as two-dimensional illustration and painting — but even though she’s trailblazed an eclectic discipline, it's grounded in a hunger to comprehend the world around her. “I’m an extrovert, so going outside just to see other human beings live their lives puts things into perspective and allows me to stop being so zoomed in on my own world,” she says. 

These interactions are key to replenishing her imaginative zest for life, but a large portion of Nguyen’s work is, conversely, defined by solitude. She spends most of her days untangling her thoughts and making sense of them through gestural, fluid strokes. So how does someone who lives for excess find ample time to unwind and reflect? Especially for Nguyen’s practice, gentle recalibrations are necessary to keep the inspiration flowing. But in a city like New York, where ambient noise consists of blaring ambulance horns and the chatter of street vendors, you have to carve out your own moments of introspection. 

Merrell knows this balance all too well, having championed outdoor immersion over the course of 45 years. For the outdoor footwear and apparel label’s It Starts Outside global campaign, the goal was to reframe how we think about being outside and to ground audiences in the power of the outdoors. From the brand’s perspective, nature doesn’t always have to feel out of reach if we strive to find our own little pockets of peace, and after some time perfecting that balance, Nguyen has gotten closer to achieving that coveted artistic harmony. 

“I think if I lived in the forest, my practice would look very different,” she says with a laugh. “But I live in LES. I didn't realize how much the city’s craze eats into the collective time that I have for myself.” Being around constant stimulation has made the artist rely on a few definitive signs that let her know she needs to step away from the canvas. 

“I can usually do 17 things at once. But that makes it hard to listen to my body because I’m somebody who's more prone to overriding those natural inclinations for taking a break,” she continues, “When I start overthinking, that’s usually a bad sign. So if I'm in the process of painting and I find myself in decision paralysis, the next decision is to go outside and touch grass.” 

In her quest to find solace amidst the madness, Nguyen brought us along as she galavanted in the great outdoors in her Merrell Relay Tour Mary Janes. The model is an effortless blend of style — primed to match Nguyen’s expressive tendencies — and comfort. Inspired by a silhouette from the brand’s archives, the Relay Tours show off a retro low-profile look but are modernized with a sporty-chic, gorpcore feel and premium Nubuck leather uppers. 

Just as reliable as they are stylish, Nathalie reflected on the many ways they’d seamlessly blend into her wardrobe. “They have a thin sole and a very light breathable mesh material for the upper,” she expressed. “On a busy day, they’re easy to put on with anything, and I don’t have to think about it. I can see myself wearing them all summer.”

During her excursion, the artist reflected on some of the ways that outdoor immersion enriches her work. She recalled a former animation teacher who taught her the importance of blood flow and endorphins for creative thinking. She mentioned that this ritual is imperative — when the second-guessing sets in, it’s time to take a walk, reframe, and look at things from a wider perspective. For Nguyen, sometimes that means just engrossing herself in the city’s daily motions — the UPS driver unloading packages off of a truck or the local coffee shop brewing a fresh batch — to help her see things more clearly. 

“Fresh air and people watching ground me in the rest of the world, where maybe the problems I’m creating in isolation aren’t real problems. Even if you’re not working and maybe you’re just taking a day off, a five-minute escape into the outdoors is always a good idea,” she thoughtfully notes. “I think that’s the best part about living downtown — feeling like whatever hardships you’re going through, others are also going through their own as well.”

And that’s the thing about New York City — you’re never truly alone. Whether the artist’s blinds are drawn with her canvas as her companion, or she’s seeking solace in nature’s embrace — there’s beauty in all of it, and Nguyen relishes in it wholeheartedly.

Check out Merrell’s full range of footwear made for everyday adventures at merrell.com.