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

Tonetta , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I have always known I wanted to be a artist but I got married out of highschool and then took a hiatus from art for over thirty years while I raised my kids and started back while playing with my granddaughter. I’m a resident artist at two gallery now. Soulard Art Gallery and Artisans in the Loop both locations in St. Louis MO.. I have only been working seriously on it for about three years. I am a self taught artist.

Tonetta , 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 am a self taught artist who is in love with art. When I start painting I am completely hooked. That is all I can think about. I have way too many pieces of art inside my head because everything I see or everything I feel I want to express on canvas. I consider most of my art pop realism. I love big bold colors and I love when my artwork tells a story or evokes a emotion.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I started doing art again with my granddaughter and a few years later my mom got ill. I spent about 6 months traveling to hospital and recovery centers then we brought her home for hospice care. She died on my birthday. She was almost 91 when she passed. I was living with my dad and taking care of him and a month later my brother died unexpectedly. I shut my house down for the duration and was staying with my dad. My dad was 94. A couple of months after I was living there my dad told me to sit down and that we had to talk. I asked what is the matter daddy. He told me that I was getting too attached. He told me that he was 94 and was going to have to go one day. I told him I know Daddy and you raised a strong daughter. Of course I will miss you and be sad but I haven’t had time to work out or work on my artwork much and I plan on concentrating on that and I plan on switching my focus over to that but until then I plan on loving you as much as I can. He said alrighty and got a huge grin on his face. He died almost a year after my mom died. Almost 95.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Yes. I want to spend the rest of my life immersed in artwork. I feel like the years I missed I have to make up for. My goal is to create as much art as I can.

Contact Info:

• Website: laura-fredrickson.pixels.com
• Instagram: Fredrickson Tonetta
• Facebook: Tonetta Fredrickson