ART BY
TAMMY HARTMANN
WHY THIS IMAGE?
Artist. Creator. Story Teller.
One thing that makes my art unique is the story that goes with it. Each piece has a story--without it, the painting is incomplete. It is the story that provides the meaning and impetus for each painting. You can find the story on the SELECTED WORKS page of my website. A link is provided for each painting. Enjoy.
MY PAINTING PROCESS
I always begin with a photograph. I use a grid to best capture the scale and placement of objects I intend to paint, and sketch the basic shapes on to paper. I then transfer the basic design to my Arches 300# Cold Pressed paper. Sometimes when my painting is complete, it resembles the photograph, but I am noticing that as I become more experienced and confident as an artist, my paintings reflect how my artist's eye interprets the image.
About Tammy Hartmann
I was born in Dauphin, Manitoba, and my family moved to B.C. in 1966. I have always been interested in art, but it wasn’t until I retired to Gibsons in 2016--the seaside village on the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia, Canada--that I began my journey of becoming a professional artist. After taking an introductory water colour course with Bruce Edwards, I explored the joys of this medium. My interest in painting began many years ago when my mother, also newly retired, began learning to paint water colour landscapes. So, it is not surprising I followed in her footsteps.
Being an educator, learning has always been a way of life for me. And now, with more time on my hands, I knew I was ready to learn something new.
It was now easier to enjoy my many hobbies on the Sunshine Coast with access to many outdoor activities on my doorstep. Having been an educator and teaching art to my students, I know the best way to learn is to engage in the process of learning. Having no formal art training, I consider myself very fortunate to have been able to study and learn from my mentor, Ed Hill. His work has greatly influenced my style and the fine attention to detail matches my desire to get things perfect. He constantly reminds me about the importance of the process rather than focusing on the product. As an educator, I know this fact in my head, but in my heart, my critical eye always tends to focus on the final result. It is this striving for perfection that drives me as an artist.
Today, my work is inspired mainly by the beautiful landscape that surrounds my home in Gibsons. I now primarily use acrylics as a medium as I like that they behave much like water colour paints--easily blended and layered. Like Ed, I spend a lot of time on the water paddling in the outrigger canoe, but also hiking and biking the many trails that surround my home. Nature never disappoints and when the light is just right, there are always gifts provided. Like my mentor, I am always ‘looking for a painting’, and my compositional eye takes over when paddling, biking or hiking—‘is there a painting there?’, I find myself asking.
In my work. I strive to capture the essence of that moment in time when light and subject meet to create a perfect snapshot in time that can never be repeated. As I continue to learn and grow as an artist, I am beginning to develop my own style and look forward to where this journey will lead me. I invite you to follow along.
