We recently connected with Tachena Winterhalter and have shared our conversation below.
Tachena, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?
I have always been an artist. It was always something that was a part of me. As a child I wasn’t allowed to express how I really felt. I was expected to smile and be happy at all times. My childhood didn’t offer a lot of safe places. So I would turn to art and writing. It was the one place where I could truly express how I felt. That I was in control while chaos loomed. Life wasn’t always kind to me. So around 8 I decided I was going to be a heart surgeon. I had some notion that if I could heal people’s hearts then maybe I could put more love back in to the world. I started taking college course work in 6th grade. By 8th grade my guidance counselor said I should test out and go to college. I brought this to my mother who had a funny way of getting in my way. She turned it down stating she wanted me to have a normal childhood. The truth of the matter being who would take care of her and my brother. Because my childhood was anything but normal. So I stayed in school. Sophomore year I published a poem, I lettered in academics, and I was in who’s who. Then I was forced to leave the state because we were living my mother’s life her way. What my brother and I wanted didn’t matter. We moved and I found out I got early acceptance into Brown. All while this was happening I’d take art classes, my one comfort. My space. I’d graduate early where we moved. I tried to go to college for a few different things. The idea of being a heart surgeon didn’t appeal to me. You couldn’t heal someone’s soul that way. It’s a noble cause for sure, but it wasn’t who I was. After trial and error, at 19 I decided to go to art school. I wanted to do what I loved doing. It’s what I was meant to do. I was taught a lot of useful techniques, but I wasn’t taught to create like myself. It would take years before I truly found my voice as an artist. I dabbled with it from time to time around 27. It wouldn’t be until I was 32 that really found my voice. It’s so loud and clear to me now. I paint stories, I paint healing trauma, my dreams, my visions, above all else, I paint love. If I leave anything in this world behind I want it to be love.
Tachena, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I’m an artist and story teller. Usually I paint acrylic paintings. From time to time I paint watercolors, make things out of clay, take photos. I’m not fond of oil paints. It’s a sensory thing for me. I don’t like the smell and all of the chemicals. I find acrylic painting to be my favorite. I paint about love. I’d describe my work as abstract surrealist expressionism. I don’t work from reference photos. I prefer to have a loose sketch of an idea and allow the painting to grow in to what it’s meant to be. I started making art probably when I was 2. I went to art school at 19. I stopped taking commissions probably 6 years ago. I found they drained my creativity. Art for me isn’t something that should be controlled. Art is freedom. About 3 years ago I finally had my own studio to paint in. I was extremely happy and proud of myself. I was nervous, but I decided it was time to go all in on my dreams. So for the past 3 years I worked a day job and I would paint most days. I left very little room for anything outside of that because this was my dream. The only person who could make it happen was myself. I learned you have to believe in yourself. Truly belive that this is what you’re meant to be doing and then just go all in. This is what I love to do. I believe that my energy is putting out more love in to the world. The more that people do that as a spiritual collective, the more the universe feels that world. The more we can love each other better and evolve in to a better world of understanding and healing.
In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?
Stop buying art from dead people. An artist shouldn’t go unnoticed in their life time. While I do admire many great Painters and creatives that are no longer living. Artists that are currently creating, struggle to do so because people aren’t buying their work. Their value shouldn’t come upon their death bed. It’s mentally, physically, and emotionally taxing. These people are showing you their souls. Everyone’s creative journey is different. People love art and if they truly love it and want it to stick around, then buy a piece of art from a living artist. You can’t spell Earth without art.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
I’d have to say the most rewarding aspect of being an artist, is when a viewer feels something. No particular emotion in mind, just that they looked at my work and they felt. A lot of people tell me they can feel the love I put in to my work. That it inspires them. The inspiration alone is rewarding.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.tachenastudios.art
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tachenastudios?igsh=eG8waTEwMjhtMDIz
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tachena-winterhalter-210b312b7?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=android_app
Image Credits
Tachena Studios