Tanya has always been influenced by art since she was a child. Her father used to draw little pictures for her during their time together and that drawing was "easy." This inspired her to copy drawings from Ebony magazines, encyclopedias, and Jack and Jill magazines. Although creating art was encouraged in her household in Philadelphia, Tanya drifted away from it during her adolescent and high school years, favoring activities like dollmaking and poetry.
In 1990, Tanya started drawing again and joined an art group in Dover, which led her to take an art class at the Delaware College of Art and Design (DCAD). While continuing to balance work and home life, she continued her schooling and progressed to display her art as a featured DCAD student at The RAL Show with Ed Loper Sr and Simmie Knox. Tanya furthered her training at The Delaware College of Art and Design and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, focusing on the human figure. During this intense period, she worked full-time as a Supervisor in a Correctional Facility and had three young children at home, supported by her capable husband.
Influenced by 19th Century Masters, Tanya adopted a painting style focused on classical realism, often incorporating bright or unexpected colors into her narrative, a homage to her interest in Fauvism.
In the 2000s, Tanya found regular opportunities to display and sell her work in various locations such as Grace Gallery, Ohio Art Expo, and Philadelphia City Hall. Early in her career, Tanya taught art classes to different populations, including at-risk youth, women, and men's groups. Tanya is a licensed Master Social Worker and Clinical Addictions Counselor and her current work reflects positive black male images, Faith, and the African American narrative.
Tanya is looking forward to the next stage of her career, where she is focusing on developing her brand, expanding services, and creating a unique style that can transition from galleries to art shows to corporate rooms.


 

  

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