ABOUT THE ARTIST

Tara grew up in the small town of Rogue River, Oregon. Raised by her mother who made her living as a fine artist, Tara was exposed to the art world at a very young age. Despite possessing natural artistic ability, Tara was always drawn to science and the natural world, and went on to earn her bachelors degree in biology from Oregon State University.  While simultaneously pursuing artwork, Tara has worked for the U.S. Forest Service, Department of Fish and Wildlife, Bureau of Land Management, and has worked in the field of Microbiology.

The focus of Tara’s artwork is realistic, high-contrast pencil depictions of wildlife and pets. She is drawn to the striking simplicity of monochromatic pencil.  Usually omitting backgrounds, Tara zeros in on her subjects, capturing true-likeness through careful studying of numerous reference photos.
 
For Tara, the joy of creating something that people will love and appreciate is what draws her to this line of work.  She feels fortunate and blessed in all aspects of her life, and looks forward to growing further with every drawing.

Tara currently lives in Southern Oregon, where she leads a very active lifestyle.  She is drawn to any activity involving the outdoors— wakeboarding, camping, and fishing being three of her favorites.  Her biggest passion is traveling, in which she has been fortunate to see more than 23 countries, and visit every continent except Antarctica