Tammy was born and raised just six miles from where she lives now in Rich Valley, Alberta. She farms with her husband and home schools their four children. Tammy is a self taught artist who attributes her talent and passion for art to time spent with her grandmother growing up. She recalls sitting on her grandmother's lap and doodling while they waited for the bread to rise. During twenty years as a recognized artist, she has also passed along creative talents to her children. Her son enjoys drawing "boy things" such as bikes, barns, and heavy equipment, while the girls enjoy nature and draw "girly things" like animals and flowers.
Tammy enjoys painting animals and landscapes and uses oils to help set the mood she is capturing. Tammy prefers the oil or pencil mediums, but sometimes uses pen and ink or watercolours. Tammy finds that when she draws images such as kids or men on machinery she tends to use pencil to tell their story. Tammy also likes wood working and wood burning (pyrography), gardening, walking and family activities. "Family is extremely important to me." When asked what subject matter she prefers, Tammy stated "I just love the beauty of God's creations." As a child, she found inspiration in the drawing books of Gene Franks and, while she loves all art and all of the old masters, her current role models include Robert Bateman and Carl Brenders.
Artistic inspirations come from the familiar. For example, the idea for the piece "Inquisitive Calves" currently highlighted on stoodio8 came to Tammy as she was doing chores one morning. It was a late snow fall in April with large snowflakes, and Tammy went to check on the calves while she waited for the tractor to warm up. She saw the calves huddled near the feeder and her picture was born right there. She has painted friends' horses and the team of horses they have ridden. Tammy also paints from the memory of nostalgic moments or after seeing animals in the wild or taken in well composed pictures with a mood or emotion that needs to be depicted.
As I write this article, Tammy has two pieces in the advanced category for judging at the Red Deer and District Museum in an Alberta-wide competition sponsored by the Alberta Community Arts Clubs Association (ACACA). "Anticipation" is done in oil, and "Cowboy Conversation" is pencil drawn composition and they passed the first round of competition early this spring. The winners at this level will have their work displayed throughout June to September in Red Deer and after the next round, winners will be displayed in the Alberta Art Museum from October to November. Last year Tammy submitted three pieces and won a People's Choice Award.
You can find Tammy showing and selling her work at the Sangudo art show and sale scheduled for November 6, 2010. Tammy is a member of the ACACA, as well as the Barrhead Art Club. Tammy will participate in the Barrhead Art Club show and sale to he held October 22 and 23. She teaches art classes at the Sangudo, and the Barrhead Art Clubs and may soon be teaching at the Rich Valley Library as well.
If you are interested in having a piece of art created that tells the story of nature or rural Alberta, then Tammy is the one to call. She has done many commissioned pieces and has generated a following of Taylor'd Creations. The stoodio8 store and gallery are excellent ways to view Tammy's art and to learn more about her art.
Maritta Renz
President
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