Today we’d like to introduce you to Tai the Artist.
So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
On October 16, 1997 at Winn Army Hospital around 8pm I was named gifted the beautiful name Tyreanna. I am the daughter of two hardworking parents that served over thirty years in the military combined. My mom really cultivated my passion for the arts by putting me in several programs as a child; this included Girl Scouts, ballet, karate, dance, and more. As a military brat, I traveled and lived in places like Paris and Germany; I would go on to come home to the U.S. around 2006 after my grandmother’s passing moving throughout the Midwest and Southern United States. I’m grateful to have experienced so many different cultures through our travels and it opened my mind by helping me to look at the world around me as art.
My artistic pursuit would begin when my mother and I would move to Fort Sill, Oklahoma, not far from where she was raised in Oklahoma City. Art was just a hobby at first that transitioned into a learning tool for me; it would help me to remember my notes when I would draw little sketches around my papers and on tests. Sometimes teachers would even leave little notes complimenting my work! I felt encouraged and in 5th grade in 2007, I won first place at my first contest for a Black history art competition. Representing Geronimo Road Elementary School, I was invited to a large ceremony where I got to shake hands and meet the general of the base at the time. After that experience, art seemed more plausible to me so I began to focus on activities solely in the arts because I knew that was where my heart was.
After our final military move to my birthplace in Fort Stewart, Georgia, I eventually entered my second art competition; a military-wide talent show while attending Midway Middle School. I won first place in 2011 for my poem entitled “Mirrors” which reflected on overcoming disorders and promoting self-worth. This followed with my appearance in a Black History month program at Fort Stewart’s movie theater honoring famous icons like Madam C.J Walker. As my passion grew and we continued to move, I took every artistic class that I could including drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, theater, and even stage production! I would go on to continue moving throughout Georgia to different schools where I would eventually gain such an interest in art that I academically surpassed all of the art classes available and would advocate for another higher level art class to be created so that I could continue my growth.
By high school, I started to focus my attention on college. My mom knew that I craved stability after moving around so much, so we finally rested for a while when she moved us to Statesboro, Georgia where I could spend my senior year in one place. This is where I flourished the most creatively; my art teacher at the time, Ms. Hayley Bond helped me to transition and feel comfortable at my new school. I joined her AP Art class and later became a part of the art club. She and the theater teacher, Mr. Eddie Frazier, whose class I was also a part of, often took our class on trips to the local Averritt Center for the Arts. The summer following my graduation, I would work there as Summer Camp Coordinator. My mom made a deal with me; “keep your grades up and you can dye your hair however you want”. This was the motivation I needed to push me to become a member of National Honor Society at each one of my high schools and graduate with honors leaving high school a member of the National Art Honor Society and National Society for High School Scholars. Now it was time to come to a decision after an amazing tour at Full Sail University with my mother I decided to stay closer to home and go to a college whose art program showed promise of expanding; I chose Georgia State University.
Although I was born in Fort Stewart, Atlanta felt like my home. I would come every summer to visit my father and his side of the family so I was used to living in the city, but this would be my first time living directly downtown in what is considered “Black Hollywood”. I was amazed seeing so many successful Black people around me and inspired by the careers of successful creators. There was so much opportunity and I was an ambitious young eighteen years old in the middle of this world. My freshman year, I began connecting and networking with several of my peers and decided to jump start my first business: Dope Art by Tai. What began as a website to sell my original artwork snowballed into a place to sell prints of my work, merchandise, and beginning in my sophomore year, art shows. I was featured in several shows including The Melanin Art Show curated by Diamond Bradley, Cinco Day ATL curated by The Sauce Agency and Kiara Nichols, founder of The Sip Museum.
One of my proudest moments was getting the opportunity to put my minor in African American Studies to use early by working with young author Eboni Johnson on her children’s book “Way Black Then”. I was following the footsteps of my artistic idols, Kadir Nelson and Faith Ringgold; early in my career as well! I grew up reading books like Tar Beach and Dancing in the Wings and I had the opportunity to illustrate a children’s book of my own that would debut a major Black history museum; the Apex Museum in the heart of downtown Atlanta. Way Black Then is a mini children’s history book that highlights both well-known leaders in African American history as well as leaders who aren’t well known. It aims to reconstruct the traditional teaching of Black history and the enslavement period, which is usually the focus in public schools across the U.S.
The art shows were a great tool to help me to network and meet all types of creatives in other fields from musical artists, dancers, actors, and curators to gallery owners, photographers, poets, and clothing designers. I even branched out of my own field to pursue other creative opportunities as I did when I was younger. I was featured in a music video entitled “What the Deal Is” for upcoming Atlanta artist FreeGame Mello, an artist and producer and had my first stage design feature for upcoming artist Mr.Unpopular for his video, “Fashionista”. I went on to make several other art show appearances and eventually went on to host my own; hosting a major show called “A Dope Art Show” which was a celebration of a five months process of painting murals around a family member’s home that was set for reconstruction to expand the highway. Journalist, Kara Grace interviewed me about the show for an in depth look of my mural project for her YouTube Channel KNEWS & KNOWLEDGE. Several musical artists performed including 4ever, Lance Devinci, Olu of Knew Sound Records, Jake Waters, Keontae Norm, and Que Freemind of WLD CRD Ent, RMNII, and Walt. My goal around the showcase was to support all the creatives I worked with and help them to network with other creators.
I dabbled in acting in a short film and as an extra with producer and creator of the new podcast “No Filter”, Angelica George and film director Dooleyfilms. Recently, I’ve taken more of an interest in acting and am set to feature in a web series “Lies…Love…and Bullsh*t” written by Brian Kardell and Ejaun Ashanti. As I continue to pursue my degree in Art Education with a minor in African American Studies, I hope to continue working within the acting world and be featured in a major gallery one day.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
One of my toughest struggles has been a familiar one; mental health. For years I tried to battle on my own, but finally in 2019, I started to seek help and was diagnosed with PTSD, severe depression, and social anxiety. My social anxiety diagnosis affected my career the most because I often put on my own showcases or I am featured in them. To drive sales in the art community it is very important to have good customer service skills and make a good impression. Sometimes on stage, it was easy to get nervous, but I found strength in seeking professional help and pushing myself to continue to do shows even when it gets to me. Networking has helped me a lot to because as I continued to work with the same people, they picked up on my cues and knew when to step in a give me a little help. One of my closest relationships is with the group WLD CRD Ent, who have I’ve worked with on multiple occasions.
Dope Art by Tai – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
My company, Dope Art by Tai was established my freshmen year in 2017 while attending school full-time. I always loved to paint, but I finally began taking it seriously when I needed money to eat in my dorms. I started by doing holiday deals around holidays like Valentine’s Day and doing portraits for people who lived in the dorms. I’ve worked with several types of media including sculpture, carpentry, illustration, charcoal, mural art, digital art, and photography, but painting is where my heart is. I’m most proud of my work whenever someone experiences it for the first time, especially my mural work. There is a rush when a person looks at the work and then looks at the artist as if they’re amazed something like that could come from your hands. I think my style is graffiti-like in a painterly style. I’m still working on finding my artistic voice and recognition; I need people to look solely at the work and think “that’s a Dope Art by Tai original!”.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
One of my proudest moments that will stay with me for life was taking Dr. Lisa Shannon’s African American Studies course and showcasing my piece “The Function” in front of the entire class at our Africana Studies Art show. Many local leaders and professors spoke and children from a local school, KIPP South Fulton Academy performed a dance. After the show, I had the pleasure of taking a picture with my whole class and Dr. Shannon. I’m keeping that photograph forever and I’ll never forget the feeling of being welcomed and wanted there.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.dopeartbytai.com
- Email: dopeartbytai@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taitheartist/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dopeartbytai/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/taitheartist
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/dopeartbytaiphotography/
Image Credit:
Olu (@justolu_ and @justolusphotos_ on instagram)
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