We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Tara Andris a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Tara, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

I’ve been working on a project recently that’s been incredibly meaningful personally… I launched a weekly newsletter with the aim of helping readers discover artists and make art more accessible, called An Eye for Art.

Though I’ve been a painter for nearly 20 years, I was also a museum educator, even went to grad school for teaching. After having kids I had to make some tough choices and realized that teaching in an art museum, painting, and raising kids at the same time was going to be a stretch. I put the museum ed career on pause and focused on my kids and art career. It has truly been a joy to be present for my children and also so fulfilling to see my art business take off, but I’ve really missed the teaching side.

I firmly believe that art should be accessible, and that museums (and often artists) do not do enough to invite the viewer in. The art world is intimidating and many people feel unwelcome or not in the know. An Eye for Art is intended to break down those barriers. Every week I send an email introducing an artist whose work I love, discussing what I find so impressive about the work, and why. Sometimes we get into the nitty gritty of how art is made, and other times just stare in awe at the skill. Every now and then I’ll feature a historical artist and talk about why their work is considered important. Needless to say I’m excited, and I feel like I’ve found a way to weave teaching back into my life that can help others find artists who they love.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I grew up in Kansas City, and was lucky enough to have fallen in love with art as a child. Every week my mom and I had “Tara Tuesday” where we’d wander the local art museum, The Nelson Atkins Museum of Art. I was in awe and I think those visits really set me on my path.

I studied Painting and Art History at the University of Kansas and then moved to Washington, DC where I worked at the Smithsonian Traveling Exhibition Service while painting on the side. I soon realized that I LOVED working and teaching in museums, and went to Bank Street College of Education in NYC to get a Masters in Museum Education.

After finishing at Bank Street and another move, I divided my time between painting and selling my own work, and working at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art in KC. A final move back to DC and a second baby on the way really pushed me to make some hard choices and I left museum education hoping to return at some point.

Is there a mission driving your creative journey?

My artwork is almost exclusively clouds and skies on metal leaf. The choice of such a familiar subject is a conscious one, as I’m always thinking about viewer experience and accessibility. I’m moved by the notion that beauty is constantly surrounding us and hope my art serves as a reminder to stop and take it in every now and then. It can be hard in the world we live in, but these stunning skies are constantly floating above us offering us grounding and a reminder that our daily problems are often not as daunting as we think. Incorporating metal leaf really weaves in my art history background and many art disciplines use of ornamentation to elevate a subject. I hope that the metal leaf reminds the viewer of the beauty of the everyday while also mimicking the depth and reflectiveness of the sky.

For the past several years, I’ve watched my art business and my children flourish. Lately though, I’ve yearned for the interactions I had while teaching in museums and have wanted to push on how I can make art more accessible. That’s really where An Eye for Art originated; I’m hopeful that through An Eye for Art I can help open a door to art and artists.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Honestly I just kept posting and sharing my work, but also following and commenting on posts that I thought were interesting. I think interacting with others is the best way to build a community and audience.

Contact Info:

• Website: taraandris.com
• Instagram: @taraandrisart
• Other: aneyeforart.co is my newsletter, I hope you’ll check it out and let me know what you think!