We were lucky to catch up with Samantha Tallichet recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Samantha thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.
I always knew I wanted to be an artist. A specific memory I have where I thought “I could be an artist” is from when I was a child. I was watching a VHS tape of my favorite animated film with my mother. I’d always want to skip to the end because there was a segment showing behind-the-scenes clips of the animators working on the film. My mother leaned over and said, “That could be you someday”. This gave me the inspiration I needed to really jumpstart my interest in art and later set my goals of having an art career. I created my characters and stories of distant lands, filling up sketchbook pages and dreaming of the day I would become an established artist.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
In 2017, I began my professional journey at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), where I graduated in May 2021 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and a minor in Art History. During my undergraduate, I started operating a small business/art studio at Lowe Mill Arts & Entertainment and got involved with local art organizations.
As a visual artist, I specialize in portraiture and narrative realism. My artwork investigates topics that center around the concept of femininity, such as the relation to nature or how women are represented across different forms of media. I aim to present a new interpretation of outdated ideals surrounding women in art, forming a modern commentary that contradicts the Eurocentric beauty standards of the past. My figurative pieces show women in positive and empowering ways by celebrating the strength and beauty of the female form. I work in multiple mediums including oil paint, acrylic paint, charcoal, collage, and graphite.
Through the exploration of materials, techniques, and subject matter, I have used art as a source of self-expression and realization. My work is ever-changing as I find new methods and interests. The paintings I create show that all body types are beautiful and can be celebrated, which is something that I wish I had seen in media when I was growing up. I hope that the viewer can connect with my artwork positively, whether that be embracing their creative side or finding empowerment.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is seeing how others connect with my work. Creating art is a personal process for me. I spend hours handcrafting each piece and in a way I form a bond with the characters on the canvas. The images I create capture only a small moment in a story, leaving room for interpretation and gives the viewer an opportunity to create new narratives based on what they see. It is always a special moment when others share their own stories and personal meanings they find within my work.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
For a moment in my artistic journey, I believed I had to use only one medium or process in order to find my style. I struggled to define what that style was, and the limits I created for myself only led to creative blocks. Eventually, I decided to experiment more and try new techniques. Opening up my options sparked my passion for creating again and helped me to discover the style that truly resonated with me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://samanthatallichet.com/
- Instagram: samanthatallichetart
Image Credits
Samantha Tallichet