Expressions by Walgreens hosted art sensation Tyler Clark (@InspirebyTyler), a mixed media artist from Chicago, in the most recent series of Expressions Live. Tyler attended Homewood-Flossmoor High School then attended Spelman College and Georgia Tech for undergrad. Tyler earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics from Spellman and Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Tech. As a way to reduce stress while in school, Tyler discovered using art as a fun and relaxing outlet. She moved back to Chicago with a full-time corporate job and continued to work on her newly found passion. We were very excited to have Tyler join us for our IG Live session and discuss her journey as an artist. Here’s what we discussed:
How did you discover your talent as an artist?
While Tyler attended Georgia Tech, she was having a hard time navigating the mechanical engineering program and needed an outlet. Her passion wasn’t necessarily engineering and so she asked herself “How do I get through this because I’m struggling and unhappy and I don’t know what to do?” She knew she liked to paint and so she took it on because she needed healing and felt this would help her survive the challenges she was facing. Tyler realized that she could do more with her work when her friends started asking if they could purchase her art. This is when Tyler discovered that her art had value, so she moved back to Chicago and she continued to work on her passion.
What advice do you have for the viewers when it comes to getting into the industry?
Tyler’s art journey as a self-taught artist consisted of trial and error when she began painting, and not necessarily from formal art training or theory. Tyler then felt a need for some guided assistance and so she turned to YouTube tutorials. She was able to learn at her pace by doing that. There were many art classes that she could have taken, but she didn’t and as she worked on her craft, she realized how important it was to have proper training. She acknowledged that it’s always important to have training because you may think that you’re doing something right when in reality it could be wrong.
It’s also important to use the resources that you have available to you. Tyler has mentors who have provided her with lessons. Mentors can help open your eyes and can introduce you to new styles of art. It’s not always easy to find a mentor because you have to find someone who has the desire to mentor and help you get to the next level.
Describe your inspiration for creating these mixed media pieces.
We had the chance to see a couple of her art pieces as well:
The piece above is titled “Elegant” It features real fur, hair and an earring, thus symbolizing a sophisticated black woman. As an artist, she wants to capture vibes in every piece she makes. The inclusion of the hair, earring, and fur really makes this piece stunning and we love it!
Tyler also wants to capture history with her work. This piece above is titled “Corona“, and this is of course in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. What a great and beautiful piece to capture this moment in history.
If you’d like to check out or purchase some of her work make sure to visit her website at https://inspiredbytyler.com/. Also, make sure to check out her Instagram @inspirebytyler.
What advice would you give to teens looking to pursue a career as an artist?
Practicing and perfecting your skillset is very important. Staying consistent as well because over time you will get better and chances are that you will meet people to help you. Loving yourself is very important because there will always be doubts and insecurities. Build your confidence and do not worry about people hating what you do but loving you so much that there’s no other option but to love you and what you produce. If there was one thing she could tell her younger self, it would be to work on her self love and confidence because then you will be unstoppable.
We thank Tyler for joining us on our IG Live session. We loved all the advice she gave our followers and we thank her for sharing her art journey. If you missed our live chat with Tyler you can find it HERE. Make sure you tune in next Wednesday as we will be chatting with another artist, Edo!