 Heather
J. Tait I - Artist
Biography:
Artist and inspirational writer, Heather J. Tait
had a plethora of careers before taking on her life's work. Born
in Tacoma Park, MD and raised in Erie, PA, Tait began doing volunteer
work at age 15. She began mentoring elementary and middle school
students.
At age 16, she fell in love with theater after seeing her first
play at the Roadhouse Theatre of Contemporary Art. She began working
there as an usher and then a sound technician. She spent five years
with this theater group.
"By the time my junior and senior year in high school arrived,
I was going in so many directions. I was involved in several school
activities, plus mentoring, and theater rehearsals. I was very active,
too active, but at the time I guess the distractions were a blessing."
In the fall of 1994, Tait was accepted to Gannon University. On
top of going to college full-time, Tait took several other jobs
on as well. She still had her cake decorating job on the weekends.
She also became a radio DJ at WERG, she was a contributing editor
for Pure Entertainment Magazine, a writer for Gannon Knight, a sound
technician for the Schuster Theater, and a model for two local agencies.
"I think at one point I was working 7 different jobs on
top of a full credit load for college. Again I was really over working
myself and it was taking its toll. I had a lot of ambition and drive,
but I didn't concentrate or focus it in on just one thing. But for
me, I was hungry to learn everything I could."
About 6 months before Tait graduated college, she went to New York
City to attend a CMJ Convention (College Music Journal). It was
at that point someone had asked her what she was going to do after
college. "I instinctually and without a thought said, I¹m
moving to New York City. And before I knew it that was exactly where
I was. I hopped on a greyhound not too long after my graduation
ceremony in May of 1997" Tait would receive her Bachelors Degree
in Communication Arts in a record time of 2.5 years.
Tait would then take on the executive role and manage an independent
record label. She would then work several temp positions before
moving back to Erie and made a decision that would impact her forever.
She joined AmeriCorps VISTA, a government funded project. "I
told them I would go wherever my degree would be needed so I ended
up in Gilroy, CA living in Morgan Hill. I shipped all my stuff out
and hopped on a train across country with just a backpack."
"I wanted to do something I felt good about. There is nothing
like going to a job and knowing that you are not "adding"
to people... you are "subtracting."
The project ended up closing after 4 months from her arrival. She
was over 2,000 miles away from her hometown, but more closer to
herself than she had ever been.
"I was so anxious to work on this project and I put every
effort I could into it and then I had to accept that like a lot
of things, this was a circumstance out of my control" "For
years I had really over occupied my time and then while I was in
California, I was no longer allowed to continue the habit. I needed
the red light. You can't run away from yourself when you are the
only one around."
Amongst the confusion of the project coming to a
close, Tait sought refuge with some paper and a sharpie marker.
She had an old sketch pad with 8x10" sheets of paper in it.
She taped about 6 pieces together and began drawing with her sharpie
marker. She had some old watercolors that she paid a dollar for
and a sponge that she was given from work. She cut the sponge into
several pieces and used that as her paintbrush.
Her studio apartment became a gallery of her creations. Some of
her first creations were RuralRisk, SelectiveReasoning, BrokenYoke,
StaveSacre I, EspejoMentiroso, LocaGuera, SelfCommitment, and NoGracias.
"If you really stop to listen to yourself, you tend to discover
that you have a lot to say. I had so many thoughts, feelings, and
emotions that I never allowed to come to the surface let alone share
them with others." With the help of a friend, her images were
shot with a video camera and put on the web. "Everything started
out real simple, and then as I progressed so did the quality. I
started to actually make an investment on myself and my art."
June of 1998, she packed up once again and headed to Seattle,WA.
There she would have her first showing at the Roswell Cafe. Six
months later she packed up again and headed to Atlanta,GA. She would
do several other showings at such places as the Fox Theater, the
Tony Awards, Eddie's Attic, and the Art Station. There would be
several other moves, Erie, PA, Avon, CO, and Amelia Island, FL.
"My husband and I both traveled alone before we were married
and now we travel together. It¹s very much a part of who we
are. Not only do I do art by intuition, I live my life that way
to."
And now at age 28, she established the Silence Speaks International
Artist Association, an association for artists and writers. She
was also recently inducted into the Who's Who of American Women
for 2004-2005-the definitive biographical resource featuring the
most accomplished women in all areas of human endeavor. The artist
and her family continue to travel and continue to do art no matter
where the location. Along with her art, her inspirational sayings
are intended to provide strength and hope for all who stumble upon
them.
"The sayings are basically journal excerpts and thoughts.
We don't always have the power to choose our life's situations,
but we do have the power to choose what we do with the outcome or
the experience. I've taken life situations that may not be so "pretty"
and added color to them, and added a lesson learned at the end."
"For me personally, whatever your situation in life may
be, it should not be an excuse to become the equivalent or worse,
it should however give you a reason to strive to be even better."
II - Artist Exhibits:
Our recent Silence Speaks Partnerships:
OnAWhim Digital Magazine - A monthly syndicated
column that Tait writes called, "Making Your Purpose Your Business"
BornFree - Our Silence Speaks eCards are syndicated
on this site.
Kellymom.com - Our Silence Speaks eCards are syndicated
here.
ProMom.org - Our Silence Speaks eCards are syndicated
on this site.
Mothering Magazine - We have donated art for Mothering.com's
fundraiser to support their discussion boards. This is a six month
event beginning November 2003 - May 2004. Each month a different
image is being released on tshirts, journals, and reproductions.
Link soon to come.
National Organization for Women (NOW) - Sacramento,
CA chapter is featuring iAm II for their fundraising event on the
Capitol steps, called "Take Back the Night", October 11,2003
Up and Coming Events:
Spire Press - New York, NY, featuring "MotherMoon
II" and "iAm I" in their Fall ,2003 edition of their
magazine.
Publications:
New Works Review
Featured Artist - Houston,TX
Spire Magazine
Featured Artist - New York,NY
Rearview Magazine
Art Cover, "LifeMiles" - Boston, MA
Aquarius Magazine
Art Cover, "BrokenYoke" - Atlanta, GA
Thunder Sandwich
Featured Artist -"PurseString, BlindLiberty, SolLuna, PesCardo"-
Nashville,TN
Sanford Corporation
Lifetime of Color Featured Artist- Chicago, IL
The Gutenberg Litegraphic Society
Featuring "TinMan"- Salt Lake City, UT
Exhibits:
Tony Awards, Atlanta, GA
Art Station, Stone Mountain, GA
Fox Theater, Atlanta, GA
Eddie's Attic, Decatur,GA
Fringe Festival, Atlanta,GA
Schuster Theater, Gannon University, Erie, PA
Roswell Cafe, Seattle, WA
Online Exhibitions/Listed Artist in the following:
Askart.com
Accomplished Artist Directory
ABS-gallery
Portfolios
Kilima
ArTatoo
OnArt
Art Community
Lily Creek Foundation
Blue Zeppelin
Passion4art
Visionary Gallery
123soho
Public Art
iMediaArt
Espectro
Absolute Arts
Gallart Network
GalerieGate
Art Tract
All Into Fine Art
Art Guide
Art-Gall.com
Art Wanted
Metropolitan Tribe
The Art Source
Art Promote
Painter Gallery Directory
Hybrid Studios
Art Areas
Art Web Community
the Void
Art Quest
Voodoochilli
Contemporary Art.com
World Artist Directory
dArt
Art-Atlas.Net, The International Art Directory
Art Utile
World Wide Art Resources
Internet Art Resources
All-Original-Art.com
The World Wide Art Gallery
3chimps
all-sa.com
Sharyne Gallery
ArtRoof
Artist Portfolio
III - Artist Statement:
"When I first began my artwork
back in December of 1997, I had no intentions of being an "artist."
I never had any intentions of showing people what I had created.
Each piece represented to me a missing link within myself. And for
some reason it was perhaps easier to see when it was presented with
lines and color. I would understand my struggle or whatever I was
dealing with at that moment when the painting was complete. Showing
people my artwork was comparable to standing naked before an arena.
I was admitting to myself and to others the nature of my own truth
and my own healing."
"As I reach an understanding of the concepts described in my
paintings I am then capable of releasing them for the public eye.
My intentions are not to make happy people sad nor to make sad people
happy. I believe that whatever someone needs to see, they will see."
►► Some
of the artist's artwork
Contact: editorial@onefineart.com
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