Today we’d like to introduce you to Tamar Nikki Palmer.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I studied at Oakwood University in 1998, then transferred to Wayne State University in 2000 to pursue a B.F.A in Digital Arts for four years. I relocated to Wolverhampton, England, in 2009, married, and now have three wonderful children. I was self-employed until 2015, selling handcrafted jewelry with polymer clay as my primary material, and had success with joint exhibits, selling at art fairs and online, being featured in magazines, and speaking at the Wolverhampton Business Forum and Access to Business.
Unfortunately, my life became challenging as a result of a marriage collapse; nevertheless, via creative arts therapy and supportive healing mentors, this formed the vital basis for my growth and self-awareness to provide a better future for myself and my children. I enrolled in a BA (Hons) Applied Arts course at the University of Wolverhampton in 2018 and graduated with a first-class degree in 2021. An honorable mention was published in the Contemporary Glass Society Graduate Review featuring one of my glass artworks also in 2021.
In that same year, I was invited by Dr. Max Stewart to create a unique Pate de Verre recipe using float glass. With a lot of experimentation and using small quantities of materials that were both affordable and environmentally sustainable, I was able to create a vibrant selection of glass jewelry pieces. The recipe and photographs were published in The book “Pate de Verre: The Material of Time,” authored by Max Stewart and Tone Orvik, and is distributed in the United States and the United Kingdom. This year, I was honored to have my glass artwork, “Bad Blood: The Tuskegee Experiment,” displayed at the prestigious 2022 British Glass Biennale.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There have been struggles, one of which is adjusting to a new culture. While having a little family, it took me a long time to acclimatize to British living. I didn’t have a good support system at first, and it took me a while to develop new acquaintances.
Motherhood was partly difficult for me since I was a full-time mother who was entirely committed to my family, but I was often isolated and lacked balance in my social life, and suffered from a dual identity issue. As a black American woman and an artist, I completely lost touch with who I was, but I worked for several years to reconnect with who I am now.
My most recent struggle was during the Covid pandemic. I lost two wonderful grandmothers whom I was unable to visit owing to visitation restrictions. Also, I was finishing my degree, which was a diversion in some ways, but in retrospect, I didn’t give myself enough time to mourn and honor their lives. This was a difficult process that I later had to reflect on, and it was vital for me to reprioritize my life and break old, unhealthy patterns.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am an inquisitive glass artist that goes into historical issues to research, develop, and create unique glass pieces inspired by socioeconomic inequities suffered by ethnic groups. For me, utilizing glass as a tool aids in the formation of my Black American worldview, which corresponds to contextual and historical hidden truths embedded in American culture.
What matters most to you? Why?
What matters to me the most is always in flux, however, at the moment, balance and moderation are the first things that spring to mind. For me having more balance allows me actively listen, love, communicate and share my time in other matters of equal importance. For example, it should go without saying that I love my family and all my wonderful friends but making time to have meaningful inner reflection and gratitude helps me maintain healthy relationships with them. Creating essential balance is challenging at this time but utilizing it carefully positively benefits every aspect of my life.
Pricing:
- £2500 – Bad Blood: The Tuskegee Experiment
- £500 – Triadic Transcendence: Homage to Alice Coltrane
Contact Info:
- Website: https://sites.google.com/view/tamarpalmerartist/Tamar-Palmer-Home?authuser=0&pli=1
- Instagram: tamarpalmer.com
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/tpalmerglass/
Image Credits
Simon Bruntnell
