Today we’d like to introduce you to Tania Harris.
Hi Tania, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I have always been creative since childhood. I love to draw, paint, dance, cook and I even used to play the trumpet. My love of learning and creativity led me to get my degree in Art and Spanish. I taught Spanish for several years and got to travel abroad in my college years to Spain, Costa Rica and Guatemala. After I got married and started having children, I worked intermittently as an ESOL teacher at a local community college and homeschooled my children. Once we moved to the Fort Worth area, my children began public school and I began to seriously pursue my career as an artist. I have been in several local shows in NRH, Grapevine. Granbury, Palestine and taught art at kids camps at Central Art of Hurst in the summers of 2019 and 2021. I have done several commissions for local clients. I have sold several paintings and prints varying in style and medium at my local church and online. I have recently taken a student for private lessons in watercolor and look forward to adding more students. I work in acrylic, oil and watercolor. My main focus is landscapes. I would say my style is impressionistic, as I love color, texture and bringing movement and life into whatever my subject may be.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has been very challenging balancing my responsibilities as a parent, working part-time as an elementary tutor and pursuing art as a career. I have had to place my desires on hold for the needs of my family ,which will always come first. My art however is always necessary to the health of my soul. The need to create and interpret the world around me through paint is essential to my life. I view my creative journey as informing and enriching my daily life experiences. In the past 2 years I have experienced a death of a sibling, financial hardship and working outside of the home for the first time in many years. It has been an uphill battle but I have continued to persevere and believe that all the struggles will just make me stronger, more resilient and an example to my children of how to do hard things. Art is a reflection of your inner life therefore my pieces are an outward expression of the hope I carry.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am an elementary math tutor. I began as a sub but got hired as a math tutor for the Spanish speaking children because I am fluent in Spanish. I originally thought I would be helping with reading and writing but the math need was a greater for the students. I find this ironic, as math has never been my strong suite. I have enjoyed relearning math, sharpening my own math skills and helping these children learn. I believe filling the need in front of you is so important and essential for a stronger community. I have found that my love of learning and being actively involved with my community has even taken a weakness of mine and made it into a strength. It has given me a new confidence and a feeling of accomplishment that would not have happened had I not been willing to help those in need. I actually enjoy math!
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I was a dreamer, lover of playing outside in the woods and mostly with my siblings, riding my bike, drawing animals, making up and acting out stories, constantly moving and fidgety. I loved school but not reading until middle school. I liked playing soccer, volleyball, dodgeball, dancing, running and swimming. I love the beach and sea creatures still. I was a happy go lucky and energetic kid.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://taniasartspace.com
- Instagram: tania.s.harris
- Facebook: tania’sartspace
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tania-harris-65a28710a
Image Credits
Tania Harris
