Today we’d like to introduce you to Tonya Merta.
Hi Tonya, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Art has been my favorite thing to do for as long as I can remember. I would create in any medium I could access; writing, drawing, sewing etc. I was in high school when I found a specific love for paint. Once I found the rhythm, that meditative calm became addictive. I love acrylic paint for its saturation. Worlds become so much brighter, like we’re able to see new colors. Painting lights my soul up like nothing else has, so honing my skills became a natural priority. I decided early to never let that go, to keep creating art, no matter what life throws at me. Art makes me healthier, art builds community, art is always truthful. Art is still my very favorite thing to do.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I think that life as an artist is like that poem, “the road not taken”. I wouldn’t call my path “smooth”, but I would call it divine. Within that, my biggest struggle has been trust. When I couldn’t go to art school, I had to trust that I wasn’t supposed to. When I couldn’t get into galleries, I had to trust that I one day would. When I feel like all of this is just for me, I have to trust that it is for someone else too. To stay motivated as an artist, I have to believe that my art can help heal the world. That is ultimately believing in myself, in my intuition, and that is the very hardest thing to do.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a self taught artist specializing in textured acrylic paintings. I am most known for a vibrant use of color, surrealist or spiritual themes, and 3D texture. As a kid, I said that my favorite color was rainbow, because I couldn’t pick a favorite. This stayed true throughout my adult life, and I believe it is the reason why my paintings are so colorful. I seek to create worlds in my art, and the combination of detailed forms and textured accents really brings these worlds to life. Texture brings a 2D image into the 3D, helping the viewer step into art, merging dimensions for an instant.
What makes you happy?
So many things make me happy—my loved ones, nature, animals, art, music, magic. I was taught that happiness is a choice. In the most difficult times, the littlest things can make you truly happy. I try to live in gratitude, and I believe that creates the purest happiness.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @mtcm.art
- Other: https://depop.app.link/VP5X1DSOM4b
