We were lucky to catch up with Tyree Dworak recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Tyree, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

I was a little lost. While I spent my life making and teaching about art. I spent most of my life finding joy in pleasing others. I loved doing commissions that made people light up. I loved being the person that others could count on to paint the backdrop for the student musical or the display for the holiday market. This didn’t leave much time for my own work, let alone deeply meaningful work. When my own children left for college, I was forced to start looking inward instead of looking out, taking care of others. Thankfully, I had started taking a ceramics class at Lisa Naples Clay Studio in Frenchtown, NJ. I loved it. This began a journey that was just for me.

Years before, when my children were young, my husband won a “Behind the Scenes Tour” at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia. The kids were so excited to see dinosaur bones and were exceedingly disappointed to discover the tour was only for the Ornithology Department. We spent the afternoon looking around a storage room filled with thousands of dead birds. I left that day with mixed emotions. I was in awe of the beauty of those birds, the colors brilliant and diverse. On the other hand, I was taken aback by the death all around us. This dichotomy stayed with me.

My family changed dramatically when my children left for college. I realized I had to change my mindset to be healthy. I had been holding onto parts of myself that were no longer going to serve me. It was time to let go. I created a series of Ornithological Drawers. I found vintage drawers, sometimes a nest and made ceramic birds to place inside. These birds were beautiful specimens and represented parts of me that had to go in order to make room for a new me. These parts of me were to be honored as having made me who I am, while still needing to pass on. Making this work helped me let go. And it helped me connect with others who could relate to their own changing lives.

Tyree, 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 an artist, a visual story-teller, a teacher. I love creating art that tells a story. Even more than that, I love connecting with people in a meaningful way. I connect through the stories and emotions expressed in my art and by teaching ceramic sculpture. Often, these methods merge in the most beautiful ways.

I got my BS in Art Education from Pennsylvania State University and began teaching elementary school students. After I had my own children, I chose to stay home to raise them with the intension of also making art a priority. I found when I was in the thick of it, I wanted to paint murals at their school, paint faces during the class parties, volunteer for good causes and help people who were not as fortunate as I was. My work was not the priority. I did learn how to make a plethora of things in order to help others. I am so glad I experienced what I did, because it lead me to where I am today. It wasn’t until after my children were older that I started making work more for myself.

I landed in the most wonderful clay studio. I started classes and knew I was where I was supposed to be. The studio owner, Lisa Naples, became a mentor and helped me push myself in ways that likely would not have happened if I were exploring on my own. I had a place to interact with other creative people as well as somewhere with the supplies and facilities to make ceramic sculpture a possibility. What was so incredible for me, was that I found myself taking bits of all the different things I had learned and applied them to ceramics. The carving of woodcuts, the color theory used with colored pencils, the brushstrokes learned from years of painting all found their way into the sculpture process. And most importantly, it was at this moment, when I decided to take this ceramics class “just for fun” that I discovered my superpower: fearlessness. Trying something new with the knowledge and acceptance that it could fail was the key to my success. The ability to play without the dread of losing something precious became essential to my work. From this point, I could start to explore ways to express emotions, movement, and stories within a sculpture. Eventually, I began to teach others about this.

For the last few years, I have been teaching adult art classes. At first, it was out of my house. Then, it was from the clay studio. Now, I teach a few classes at Lisa Naples’ Clay Studio as well as teaching workshops at a variety of studios in the region. Teaching is a wonderful way to encourage others to play fearlessly. A clay class is a great escape from the everyday stresses. Using our innate creativity is essential to our mental health. It reduces stress and improves our wellbeing. I get to support other people in such a unique way. I feel as though I am doing just what I am supposed to be doing. I am so thankful for my winding road that in some ways has come full circle.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Being an artist comes with certain stereotypes. People assume I am a little nuts, dramatic, emotional, difficult, flaky, egotistical…I have heard it all! The one thing being an artist has allowed me to do is be authentic. I get to be exactly who I am. It’s not easy and I struggle with this still. I think it is important for people to know that life might not be what we expect. For instance, I am disorganized, distracted and anxious most of the time. I am also thankful, caring, and happy. I get the chance to share this with anyone who is interested and let them know that it is okay to be who they are. We all have good days and bad days, even absolutely horrendous days. I make sculptures that share all of these feelings. I hope that this lets others know that they are not alone.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I spent a very long time thinking that my art needed to “sellable.” I went from one medium to the next searching for the thing that would fly out of the studio. I would spend hours thinking about it: Should I make things that are less expensive? Should I make things that are quick and easy so I can reproduce them? Should I focus on colors that are soothing, exciting or match the sofa? At one point, I started making jewelry so that I could afford the supplies, and people could afford it. I noticed that I got more compliments on the jewelry I was wearing than the jewelry I was selling. The jewelry I had made for myself without any thoughts of making it “sellable” was getting the most attention! I wish I could say that this epiphany was all it took to get me to turn things around, but it was not. It’s hard to ignore the comments about my work being too too large, too weird, too much. Or people close to me telling me that I should make something like this or that.

It has only been in the last few years that I have taken a stand against that voice in my head telling me to make art for other people. I know now that it is the work that is true, from within me, that others can relate the best to. There is an energy that goes into work that comes from an authentic place that cannot be mimicked. Of course, not everyone is going to like that work. The hard part is accepting this, letting go of the criticism and having the confidence to know there is someone in the world who needs to see my work.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.tyreedworakart.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tyreedworakart
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tyreedworakart

Image Credits

Portfolio shots: Jim Greipp, Pau Hana Productions