Meet Bruno-Based Artist Tianna Williams
Tianna Williams is a Bruno, Saskatchewan-based visual artist specializing in oil paintings.
What's your name?
Tianna Williams
Which artistic discipline(s) do you practice?
Oil painting
What is your current city and state of residence?
Bruno, Saskatchewan
Do you have a website and/or email address where readers may contact you and/or check out your work?
www.sacredartbytianna.com
What brought you to your current city? Why did you decide to move?
After my husband and I got married, we lived in the Edmonton area for about seven years. Last year, however, we took a leap of faith and moved to the middle of nowhere Saskatchewan. This tiny town, which hardly appears on a map, is home to a Catholic faith formation school and a growing number of young Catholic families. We wanted the affordability, safety, and lifestyle of living in a small town without sacrificing community—and in Bruno we get that in abundance! We absolutely love it here.
How do understand your vocation as a Catholic artist? What do you see as your personal mission as a Catholic working in the arts?
From a young age, I desired to evangelize through beauty. Beauty can touch souls hardened to truth and unimpressed with goodness, for it has the power to captivate and uplift, even if you don't understand it. By creating lovely works of art, I hope to touch every heart that yearns for God. By painting the saints, I hope to inspire others to learn more about these holy souls and to follow their example in living out God's will in their lives. Every piece is a small contribution to our Catholic heritage.
Where have you found support in the Church for your vocation as an artist?
The greatest support has come through individuals who have believed in me and have offered me opportunities or shared my work with their friends and family. I am particularly grateful to those friends who commissioned me at the very start of my ministry, back when I hardly knew what I was doing. I'm also grateful for a priest friend who invested in a large original painting for his parish, and to Ascension for working with me to create a whole series of paintings.
Where have you found support among your fellow artists for your Catholic faith?
I love following other Catholic artists on social media and seeing the beautiful work that they are creating. I have found it to be a space full of inspiration and growth. We often encourage and pray for one another.
How can the Church be more welcoming to artists?
The best way to support artists like me is to commission paintings and purchase prints. This not only provides an income for us to live on, but also gets our work out into the world so others can see it and be inspired.
Where in your city do you regularly find spiritual fulfillment?
Like I mentioned before, I live in a very small town with a surprisingly thriving Catholic community. Our parish priest here offers daily Mass and Adoration twice a month with praise music. He also keeps the church open during the day so we can stop by and pray before the tabernacle whenever we want. This especially has been a huge gift for me.
How have you found or built community as a Catholic artist in your city?
I find my community among the other young Catholic moms. We watch each other's kids, visit over coffee, and occasionally get together to watch a classic film. These friendships are still new but growing deeper!
What is your daily spiritual practice?
I like to start my day with prayer. I have a subscription to Magnificat which is perfect for my ADHD brain. I pray continuously throughout the day as I go about my duties, the words "Come, Holy Spirit" often on my lips. I keep a font of holy water by the basement stairs so I can bless myself as I go down to my office. I like to stop by the church when I go for a run and I keep a rosary in my bedside table for the nights when something is heavy on my heart.
What is your daily artistic practice?
I have found the best time for me to paint is in the evening after the kids are in bed. I get myself a cup of tea and a little square of dark chocolate, put on a podcast or audio book and just like that, I'm locked in for the next 2-4 hours. Because I am usually working in the evenings, I take my mornings off for prayer, exercise, and quality time with my kids. I catch up on business and household tasks in the afternoon. It's a different schedule from most people, but it works for me!
Describe a recent day in which you were most completely living out your vocation as an artist. What happened, and what brought you the most joy?
While I can't remember a specific day, I always feel the most peaceful when my life has a rhythm to it—when I'm attuned to the needs of my family while also carving out time for my art and staying on top of the needs of my business. It's a fine balance, but the beauty is found in the flexibility and self-awareness.
How do you afford housing as an artist?
Another wonderful thing about living in a small town is how cheap the houses are!
How do you financially support yourself as an artist? Do you have a day job or do you make a full-time living from your art?
When I first started painting I was making a living as a web and graphic designer. A few years ago I was able to make the switch to making art full time. My income comes largely from my online store and commissions, although some incredibly generous individuals have also supported me over the years through monthly donations. Almost all my exposure comes from social media and word-of-mouth.
How do you market your art? And/or build a professional network as an artist? Are there resources you've found most helpful for artists looking to gain an audience for themselves or their work?
My experience in web and graphic design definitely comes in handy! I built my own website and manage all the social media posts and email newsletters. Mostly I just share the progress photos from my paintings and images of saints on their feast days. My marketing is not particularly aggressive but since I don't want to spend a ton of time in front of a computer, that works for me. I also try to have a presence at local Catholic conferences. I love engaging with people face-to-face and sharing the story behind each piece.
What are your top 3 pieces of advice for Catholic artists post-graduation?
1) Just start making art. I was not very good AT ALL when I started, but I was willing to make mistakes and learn from them. My skill developed over thousands of hours of practice.
2) Find a few people whose opinions you trust to offer you constructive criticism. Sometimes other people can see things that we cannot.
3) Approach each piece prayerfully. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you. Be aware that sometimes a lack of peace or inspiration can be a sign that either this particular piece is not meant to be, needs to change, or the disposition of your heart needs to change.