Today we’d like to introduce you to Tara Caden.
Hi Tara, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My story…I’m the daughter born to two artistic parents. My father was a professional self-taught sculptor from the age of 40-82, prior to which he was a hairdresser. My mother was a painter. I grew up next to my father sculpting, where he worked in our garage. I began drawing on my own at a young age, but I took my first drawing class in 8th grade, and then I took life drawing at UCI my first year in college 1985. I took another drawing class at Palomar College in 1990, along with a bronze sculpture class. The best teacher I ever had, however, was my father. He drew as a teenager before there was TV, and he was amazing. He used to draw bodybuilders from bodybuilding magazines, and they were identical to the picture. So, I began my drawing career officially at the age of 20, drawing my favorite subjects…babies, bodies and animals. I began doing drawings for people on commission, either for themselves or as gifts for others. It truly is a one-of-a-kind gift. I work with graphite pencils to create black-and-white replicas of photos. I have just recently started to add a splash of color to some that really makes the drawing pop. I lost my dad in 2015, but the biggest blessing is to see his talent passed down through me to my four children who all have his gift.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
When I first began, I struggled a bit with the eyes, which my father always helped me to correct. Also, learning different methods of shading. I always begin a drawing with the eyes because if I get the eyes right, usually the rest follows along pretty easily. They say your eyes are the window to your soul, so if I capture the eyes, you know immediately who it is.
The biggest challenge has been getting my work out into the world. I’m the typical artist…not a great businessperson.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a portrait artist working in graphite to create black-and-white drawings from photos. A drawing usually takes me about 8 hours from start to finish, but this is not in one sitting. Usually, I an hour or two at a time because I am busy with my other business, Tara’s Luscious Cheats, where I create healthy treats, snacks, and desserts. I specialize in people and animals. I’m proud when I hear people say it looks just like a photograph. When I am doing a drawing, I am pouring heart and soul into it. It is such a blessing for me to give people a piece of art of their loved ones.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
I’ve learned that I am good enough. There will always be better artists, but what I create is part of me, and that is special because my gift is God-given and passed down from my father.
Pricing:
- $300-$600
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @drawings.by.tara
- Facebook: #drawingsbytara
