Tina Powers: February Artist of the Month

The Studios of Cocoas Beach announces their February Artist of the Month, Tina Powers. Tina began drawing and painting as a young child, nurtured by her parents and encouraged by early success with sales and recognition.  Her parents stressed the need for a college education in something more practical than art.  So, Tina attended Florida State University and attained a Bachelor of Science in Visual Arts Interior Design followed by a professional license with the State of Florida Board of Architecture and Interior Design.  This opened the door to a 31 year career in the local aerospace industry.

Although enjoying her work life, art was still her dream and Tina found opportunities to create and sell art, including exhibiting locally and at galleries in Florida, Georgia and New York. She recently retired from the Space Center and is now delighted to concentrate on her passion for art.

Her favorite subjects are portraits of interesting, often ethnic, people including landscapes and animals, especially horses. Tina says, “Each face painted has an incredible story to tell about themselves, their family and ancestors. A face shows so many lives of generations flowing together.”

When people ask why she favors a variety of cultures, Tina responds “ I have created Native American portraits since I was thirteen.  From the look of my art, one might think I came from a Native American background.  Not so.  My father was second generation Swedish and my mother was first generation German.  I was born in New York but have lived in Florida since age two.”

Tina started painting in oils as a young teenager and later explored Watercolors, acrylics, pen and ink.  Being self-taught and endlessly curious she began creating dimensional backgrounds instead of painting on flat surfaces.  She found the use of textured backgrounds was important to her art.

Tina begins with a quick pencil sketch, then layers and manipulates textured paper onto a flat surface.  “Pasting the different shapes of paper feels like you are painting a portrait and defining the face with eyes, cheek bones and hair.  Applying items like feathers and flowers in a woman’s hair also works. It’s fun to see layers of paper forming a face or a cowboy on a horse”  One the paper is dry, Tina applies various mediums such as acrylic or watercolors and pen and ink.  Oil is the only medium she has not used in this technique but she hopes to return to this medium in the near future.

Tin’s work is on display daily at the Studios of Cocoa Beach, 165 Minuteman Causeway in downtown Cocoa Beach.  One of Tina’s works, a gicl’ee print of her painting “Woman with Flowers #12”  will be the prize in the Studios monthly art giveaway.  To enter this free drawing visit the Studios Monday and Tuesday 10:30 am to 3:30 pm, Wednesday to Saturday, 10:30 am to 8 pm, or Sunday 11 am to 4 pm.