Bio

Tarra C. Hall-Ward

Tarra is a Central Washington artist and her oil paintings and mixed media drawings are inspired by the chemistry and science surrounding her. She held a dual interest as a child; driven to both the exploration of the natural world and the art supplies splayed out through her home. Upon attending Big Bend Community College, in Moses Lake, WA., she expanded on both interests. She studied both subjects further in Ellensburg at Central Washington University, double majoring with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting and drawing, and Bachelors of Science in chemistry.

Tarra’s first college research project, supported by the Ronald E. McNair scholars program, focused on the artistic representation of general chemical reactions. The oil paintings and mixed media drawings ranged from abstract to surreal. She finished her degrees with both capstone classes combining the two fields; her art degree requiring an exhibit which showed an array of artistically illustrated chemical reactions, and her chemistry degree requiring a presentation with her focusing on the stability and conservation efforts behind Cadmium pigments. Since graduating in 2017, she completed several self-driven art projects, ranging in inspiration from the science and history of pigments, color theory, and the science of food and aroma chemistry.

Tarra is currently a resident artist at the Gallery One Visual Arts Center in Ellensburg, WA. She grows her skills through workshops with local artists and local exhibit opportunities. Her work has been included in multiple local group and solo exhibitions, most recently a local solo exhibit at the historic Clymer Museum of Art. She has expanded into offering workshops and private lessons of her own, focusing on the foundations of color theory and oil painting, and sharing not only artistic knowledge but the chemistry that can affect one’s artistic practice.

Artist Statement

Chemistry is always around us, from the biological mechanics of our bodies, the environmental shifts in our surroundings, to the very food we consume. Of particular interest and inspiration to me is the meeting of chemistry and art, two subjects most people think of as incompatible. My work explores ways to artistically translate the information I research, facts I find fascinating, and information otherwise unusable outside technical applications. The seemingly spontaneous patterns, colors, and behaviors driven by principle theories and complex concepts are the foundation of my inspiration.

This inspiration leads to extensive research into a concept for my work; the pieces build off notes, sketches and endless tabs and books of information. From the chemistry behind dyes and pigments, the reactions of cooking food, to representing an element from the periodic table, I use oil paint and pencil to present this often technical information into a different view. The true challenge is figuring out ways to communicate this information onto the surface of canvas or paper. The composition of some pieces build from still life’s and photography, while others appear more non-objective in color and texture. This ambiguity comes naturally from chemistry, as there’s concepts we can observe with the naked eye and others we know only through theory.

The bodies of art I create allow viewers a unique educational opportunity to see sometimes complicated information in a new light and different perspective. Connections between information can be vague and abstract, sometimes overlooked in the rush of every day bias. As an artist, I can be an intersection between the viewers and information they may not consider in their everyday lives.

In the end, the result is the same: to capture the beauty in the fundamental, to take formalized concepts and abstract them with an artistic lens, to connect two fields I find absolutely captivating, is what drives my passion.

Solo Exhibitions

2023

Ambiguity, Clymer Museum of Art: McGiffin Gallery, Ellensburg, WA

Ambiguity, Mariposa Aesthetics, Ellensburg, WA

Ambiguity, Dark Moon Craft and Beer, Ellensburg, WA

2022

Transitions, Dark Moon Craft and Beer, Ellensburg, WA

2019

Transitions, 420 Loft Gallery, Ellensburg, WA

2018

Intersection, Catalyst Co-Working, Ellensburg, WA

2017

Entwined, BFA Capstone Exhibit, 231 Gallery, Ellensburg, WA

Group Exhibitions

2023

Kaleidoscope, Resident Artist Exhibition, Gallery-One, Ellensburg, WA

Femme Local, Palace Gallery, Ellensburg, WA

Images of the Shrub-Steppe, Juror Punch Projects, Boxx Gallery, Tieton, WA

2021

Small Works, Resident Artist Exhibition, Gallery One, Ellensburg, WA

Femme Local, 420 Loft Gallery, Ellensburg, WA

2019

Pop-Up Exhibit, Conception Arts, Hard Rock Café, Seattle, WA

2018

Everything Gold, Resident Artist Exhibition, Gallery One, Ellensburg, WA

New Resident Exhibit, Gallery One, Ellensburg, WA

Femme Local, 420 Loft Gallery, Ellensburg, WA