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

Tiffany, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

I have always been artistically inclined and it used to be something I would do as a hobby or in my spare time. I started out with every intention of pursuing a career in Biochemistry. However, as time went by I realized that my need to create and express myself through art grew stronger and I wanted to do this on a professional level. This led to my decision to major in Graphic Design where I earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at Florida Atlantic University.

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.

The moment I first realized I liked art was when I was around four, maybe five years old. I was trying to imitate one of my older brother’s drawing, much to his annoyance. I was utterly proud of myself for successfully recreating his picture and was encouraged to make my own masterpieces. As time went by, I would create drawings for fun, for friends, and ultimately started entering national art competitions in Trinidad where I grew up. I started selling my art while I was a student completing my degree. By word of mouth, more people became aware of my abilities and expressed interest in my paintings. This motivated me to become the proud owner of TifNoel LLC, where I not only offer painting and illustrative services but also graphic design.
Often times I look back on my childhood and wonder why I did certain things and lingered in certain places for as long as I did. There were always stories being unfolded in dark corners and colors in the light that only my eyes could see or a sound on the wind that only I could dance to. I aim to tell the story of my journey from childhood to where I am now and how I imagine my reality beyond this point.
My imaginings are endless yet still I struggle to translate what is contained in my head. It is a very sensible arrangement of insensible things that I wish to convey. Many times I become frustrated when my paintings do not reflect my thoughts. I therefore tend to lose myself in the process of creating my art as I connect with the instruments and mediums that I use and silently ask for their cooperation. I often do not plan ahead about what colors I would want to use on a piece, rather I allow the colors to present themselves to me. I consider my brushes to be the link between the reality in my head and the reality that we perceive to be around us.
Even if it does not show in all of my work, my inspiration primarily comes from nature and the soothing effect it has on my little sphere of chaos. This allows me to keep confidently grounded as I attempt to unleash the wild things that dwell within. I want to push past and exceed my self-imposed limitations on what I think art should look like. As unrealistic an expectation as it may be, at all times I want my audience to approve of my art but it is more important to me that I approve of what I create. My paintings act as ambassadors for my thoughts.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being a creative person is being to express myself at any given time, often in a way that does not involve words. Sometimes it can be difficult to really convey how I feel verbally and I find that my art can do this for me where spoken words fail.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Yes! As a young child growing up, I wish there was more information made available to creative kids like myself about different and successful careers in art. I was often told that art is nice but it won’t pay my bills and that I would need a real job. I also wish that I had mentors in the field of art. It would have made a world of difference in my creative journey.

Contact Info:

• Website: tifnoel.com
• Instagram: tifnoelillustrator

Image Credits
City Of Sunrise