• Bold, bite-sized nuggets of curiosity and exploration •

These mini paintings are a reflection of the person I try to be in real life: fearless, confident, willing to push the boundaries of my comfort zone, and relying on intuition. I enjoy letting tension creep into my compositions, and when I sense it, I'll push the piece even further. My challenge in creating is to not get stuck, let certain things go, and avoid being caught in old patterns. With the small 4x4” format, I am able to work through these challenges, and use discernment much more quickly than in working larger. These minis serve as a reminder to me that I gave it my all and didn't hold back. It is my goal to say the same about all of my work and my life.

About the artist:

Tara Kelley-Cruz was born in Amarillo, Texas and currently lives and works in Colorado Springs, Colorado. With Fine-Arts background, (Tara has a BFA degree, specializing in Printmaking, from Brigham Young University), she became a Graphic Designer and has worked for 26 years with many high profile companies. In recent years, Kelley-Cruz has realized her lifelong dream of dedicating much of her time to her painting practice, in which she combines the best parts of printmaking, graphic design and the experimental nature of painting.

Tara Kelley-Cruz’s work relies heavily on form, color and texture and deals with the question of what things in our history shape who we are as individuals and as a culture. Her latest series of work contains themes of hope, isolation, fantasy, escape, seeking direction, and finding beauty in the turbulence of life.  As a mixed-media painter, her process includes creating at least 10-12 layers of paint, found ephemera, image transfers and drawings. between layers, she scrapes and sands into the painting. Earlier layers are revealed and the surface begins to take on a rich, textured life of its own with its own history. She works in an intuitive way, relying on her own discernment to guide her in the creative process.