Tessa graduated from California College of the Arts in 2009 with an emphasis in Painting and Drawing. At the end of her academic experience she was a participant in the New York Studio Residency Program. There she drew upon the unique location for visual inspiration. Fellow students were available for impromptu critiques and guidance. Being a part of such a diverse group of artists, artists from across the country, pushed Tessa’s creative boundaries within her practice. It was a time of substantial growth and she felt prolific.

As a native Mendocino county resident, Tessa possesses a visual resonance with the land. Even in her more abstract paintings, there are often references to the plant life, skyline and surrounding mountains of her hometown. She currently resides in the Bay Area and is always looking for opportunities to give back to the community that nurtured her creative life.

Tessa’s current artistic practice focuses on combining drawing techniques with painting methodologies: observations of light and shadow, experimentation with varying types of mark making like patterns and random forms. She paints abstract color studies, landscapes, and portraits. The paintings are oil on masonite boards, hand stretched linen or canvas. Often she takes canvases outside to paint en plein air.