Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Tess Darling. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Tess, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

I was invited to participate in a four-day water invertebrates workshop for Environmental Professionals, but required to paint the perspective from an artistic lense. The paintings were auctioned with 100% proceeds going to the community center that hosted the workshop. My purpose in art became clear from that point, using my skill as a creator to financially contribute and visually bring awareness to the education, science, climate, social justice and democratic crises. I find that there is no more room for painting without a contribution to help ease the collapsing of the world we’re familiar with. I solidified my opinion after going on an expedition through the Grand Canyon on the Colorado River. The water was extremely low in areas and presented different dangers through high risk rapids. I took part on this expedition as the water continues to become a major issue in the Southwest. Coming back home to the French Broad River, where my love of outdoors started, I decided to give 10% proceeds of my upcoming solo exhbition to a nonprofit in order to begin the contributions at home. I’d like to look back from the future to know that at least I helped in the best way I could.

Tess, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I transitioned from art student to professional from before I graduated UNCA because of the River Arts District community in Asheville, NC. I was immersed into the life of a studio artist thanks to the work given to me by artists and galleries within the community. I started with classically constructed portraits and figures and then realized I wanted to use what I love about the natural world into my work. I care about having the experience with the animal or landscape as fuel for painting, so that every animal and place comes from reality. I manipulate the subjects into designed combinations of realism and abstract elements to create images that reflect what I want to see in the human space. In a way I create a coexistence between nature and humanity, like paintings in a cave. A mysterious urge to reflect the environment around me and the experiences that come with it. I use acrylic and ink which works well with my fast paced way of sketching in layers. The source images come from my own photography, so that the entirety of the painting is derived from my perspective. But I understand the connection felt when a wild animal decides to share the space, so using a client’s photos to create intimate portraits of the animal they know is an exception for other source materials.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I was trained in portraits and figures, which are great foundational subjects for fine art. But I was not finding a true connection, to the point of quitting painting in pursuit of something more meaningful. After taking a break to roadtrip around the United States, through National Parks and wilderness sanctuaries, I realized what I was painting was too involved with the human world when there is a whole other world out there we share the planet with. I just need to change my subject matter to something I would enjoy, something that would nourish me. And it turned into something I find purpose in, and way for me to understand the human world better. We are a part of the ecosystem we seem to separate ourselves from. I find that there’s an infinite amount of development with the change I created.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

I found that trading experiences is an understated element that benefits both the nonartist and artist, which creates a thriving creative and social ecosystem. The invitation to science and outdoor education was traded for my creations in the respective field. I got to immerse myself in the subject matter (which is my dream as an artist) and bring awareness and appreciation for the educator. The mundane, scientific, historical but correct information in our society needs better “marketing,” and creatives are experts at aesthetics.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tessdarlingfineart/
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/100004360448610/

Image Credits
Studio Misha Photography