It is rare for an artist’s roots to extend beyond a lifetime. But the seeds Natalie Graves planted in the Valley arts community will continue to grow through all who were touched by their life.
A memorial and fundraiser will be held this Sunday, May 3, starting at 4:30 p.m. at the Shea Theater Arts Center located at 71 Avenue A in Turners Falls, seeking to encapsulate every aspect of who Graves was. The Easthampton woman, 34, was killed in early March while hiking with a family member in Utah in what authorities are investigating as a homicide.
While Graves, who many called “Nat,” was well known in the local arts community from Hampshire to Franklin County as a dancer, her closest companions, friends and acquaintances say that title does not fully capture the many branches of art that Natalie explored.
One of the organizers and a friend of Graves, Kelly Silliman, said Sunday’s memorial called “Presence Absence” will provide a space to recognize Natalie’s contributions to the area, emphasizing that everyone — friends or strangers — is welcome.
“Something that keeps coming up amongst the dance community since Nat’s death is what they [Natalie] would say or what they would be thinking,” Silliman said. “It feels especially important given the immense impact they had in such a short time to honor that legacy and to hold it in a present tense. For me, [Natalie’s] absence is offering an opportunity to be really mindful about how we’re going to hold that legacy together.”
Starting at 4:30 p.m., videos and installations of Graves’ artistic contributions will be shown and visitors can take part in interactive activities like a “memory cave” that will show different clips of Graves inside, and peace paper crane folding. Plants will be available for visitors to take home, a sentiment dedicated to Graves’ love for gardening and plants.
At 5:30 p.m., a memorial service featuring different readings and poetry will take place, with music from the band Cloudbelly, leading to a dance celebration. Food will be provided by Stone Soup Cafe. Donations will be accepted in Graves’ honor in support of 33 Hawley, a project of the Northampton Community Arts Trust where Graves served on the board of directors.
Silliman, co-director of the Northampton Center for the Arts and a dance teacher and choreographer, first saw Graves at one of her classes.
“I first met Nat when they showed up in my dance classes in 2022 and right away I was drawn to their energy, enthusiasm and interests,” Silliman said.
But like many others, Silliman noticed Graves showing up at a variety of arts events throughout Northampton, and soon invited Graves to be a part of a performance.
“Natalie was just a light,” said Anya Brickman Raredon, president of the Northampton Community Arts Trust board of directors. “They were full of energy and were dedicated to help create affordable spaces for artists in downtown Northampton.”
Taylor Graves, Natalie’s spouse, said they always loved Natalie’s ability to be their full self while dancing.
“My favorite, favorite moments are watching Nat dance; they were just so in love with it,” Taylor Graves said. “You can just tell how in love with movement they were and they went to a beautiful space in their mind and body performing.”
Natalie Graves was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, and while studying modern dance at the University of Utah, met Taylor, who also was a student in the art department. Taylor Graves did work in sound design in college, leading him to work on several productions that Natalie performed in.
K Adler, who grew up in western Massachusetts and now lives in Franklin County, said they met Graves as first-year students at the University of Utah. Adler said the two fell out of touch after graduating but then Adler saw Graves’ name popping up once the couple moved to Easthampton in 2022.
“It is incredible how much our relationship developed out of this trust and out of our adolescence, into adulthood, then blossomed in a way into our 30s in this area,” Adler said about her relationship with Graves growing over time.
Adler and Graves collaborated in a series of performances called “A HAPPENING” that occurs every October at the Shea Theater. While Graves lived in Easthampton, Adler was inspired by how Graves connected the arts communities between Hampshire and Franklin counties. Graves was also a founding participant in the Stomping Grounds Dance Festival, held in Northampton.
“They [Natalie] were always bringing a very heightened sense of community and movement in a way that just built out the world in a much more deep and rich way,” Adler said.
Some time after college, Taylor and Natalie Graves moved to the Boston area before landing in Easthampton, where Taylor said the couple fell in love with the arts community. The word that Taylor used to describe the way Natalie immersed themself in the community in western Massachusetts was “fascinating.”
“The speed at which Natalie dove head first into this community and found every little thing that they could do, whether it was performing choreographing or community action work, was just fascinating,” Taylor said.
Jayme Winell is another friend that Natalie met through dance classes. They collaborated together on Dances in the Orchard at Park Hill Orchard in Easthampton, which will honor Natalie this August.
“Nat had a profound connection to land and appreciation to land as a feature of performance and what art can do,” Winell said.
Taylor Graves said Natalie was an avid gardener, always having crops in the yard and plants throughout the house.
“I think gardening brought a sense of peace and tranquility,” Taylor Graves said. “It was something that Nat got from her mom, they gardened a lot in Utah.”
Winell said Natalie always brought creative ideas to performances whether it was through projections, costuming, use of plants or other methods. Winell, Adler and Silliman said they all hope to keep Natalie’s attitude close at heart as they continue making art.
“I find myself still asking, ‘what would Nat do?'” Winell said.
Taylor Graves said for a profession, Natalie was passionate about the healthcare industry, previously working at the Huntsman Cancer Institute helping patients through cancer trials and most recently worked at a clinical trial data management company.
“They had a passion for healthcare, taking care of people and helping people through the most difficult times,” Taylor Graves said about Natalie.
Of the many hats that Natalie wore and spaces they filled in both Utah and Massachusetts, Taylor Graves said that their spouse was always drawn most to movement and dance.
“I always liked to dance but it was never really a big part of my life until we started dating,” Taylor Graves said. “Dance is going to be so foundational for my love for the arts and so foundational to my life just because of what Natalie gave me.”
