Meet Tara

Tara Blackwell is a mixed media pop artist working in Connecticut and New York. Raised in a household of artists, Tara was immersed in differing artistic styles and modalities from a young age. Experimenting with a variety of mediums and techniques, Tara employs bold colors, layers, and texture, often incorporating nostalgic pop culture to explore contemporary social issues. 

In her CORNER STORE and SATURDAY MORNING series, Tara utilizes her advertising background to take us back to her childhood. Exploring vintage imagery with subversive wit and whimsy, Tara recreates familiar logos, packaging, and cartoon characters into a visual narrative of her youth as she transports us back to our own. At a glance, these paintings depict a childlike innocence, but there is usually underlying social commentary seen with a closer look. 

Tara’s GOOD FORTUNE paintings tap into a familiar, shared experience of finding comfort in takeout cartons and fortune cookies. Many of us secretly turn to fortunes with a hopeful heart seeking wisdom and revelations. The good fortunes get taped to the fridge or tucked into a wallet for safe keeping. These messages can hit a nerve, spark an idea, offer confirmation, or provide a laugh. A good fortune will never cease to amuse or amaze.