Tammy Callens The West

Growing up in a small art town on the Pacific North Coast, I was always drawing or painting with my siblings, it came naturally. I learned I had a ” knack ” with a crayon. I started out self-taught like most artists do and began watercolors in the 80s.  It was exciting, the paintings were early stage quality, so I am grateful to the people who began collecting those pieces.

Raising a young family at the time, my instruction came purely from observation, I was able to see contemporary greats like Jim McVicker, Alan Sanborn, and Doug Sievers in action.  I gained a passion for painting on canvas and a deep felt love for oils, this started the next phase, working strictly en plien air, this was a valuable time of training.

As the passion grew so did the children, extra time spilled over to the easel, I continued studying the masters and being present with painters like Danial Gerhartz, Carolyn Anderson, Jim Wilcox and partaking in classes at the Art Students League in NYC. It has been through the support of good people and family that I am able to practice the visual arts.

Earlier this year I was awarded the prestigious Munn Fellowship from the Versailles Foundation . I spent three months in the Claude Monet House and Gardens in Giverny, France.