Life & Work with Taryn Okesson

Today we’d like to introduce you to Taryn Okesson. 

Hi Taryn, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
“I was created to create.” 

I’m sure I came out of the womb with a pencil and a piece of paper. There’s no beginning. Only me working at the table day in and out. I was obsessed from the start. 

I read daily. Art books, business books, fiction. I absorb as much information as I can. Then I use it. I wrote out a business plan to think through the process. I do the free courses for LinkedIn certificates to build my business skills. An artist needs business and marketing skills. I work on my creative practice or the business aspect daily. I remind myself to be open to what others want to teach me. I am always a work in progress. 

Though I finished my BFA in Fine Arts in 2009, the last five years have been the turning point. I made the decision to get my work in front of eyes, and I haven’t stopped working on that goal. I began with a Facebook page and a few initial commissions, mostly from friends. This year I updated my website and added a shop. Next year I am going to add art fairs to my calendar. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No one has a smooth road. I’ve had my challenges, internal and external. I live with and manage mental health issues. I believe in being open and upfront about this topic for the next person to hear, for the next person to realize earlier in life they don’t have to struggle on their own in the dark. I was almost thirty before I learned that I was suffering symptoms I could get treated. 

Through every single life obstacle, the reality is I was always the one holding myself back, even while handling mental health challenges. Until I had the backbone to sustain a creative life, I wasn’t going anywhere. I needed strength to believe in myself. Some people get that from inside, some have a strong support system, and others like me need time to mature into themselves. 

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I fall into an artistic practice often labeled interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary. I switch between photography, painting, and drawing. Currently, I am focused on creating a body of mixed-media acrylic paintings. My paintings are textural, and I explore natural ephemera, thread, and fabrics to create those textures. I use representational forms; wildlife, birds, pets, trees. I work almost entirely from my own reference images, with that there is a longer story behind the creation of each piece because I harvested the images myself. 

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.tarynokesson.com/

Image Credits
Taryn Okesson