Tamarica Washington fuses sculptures and scriptures

Tamarica Washington uses artistry in ministry, combining God’s work and her own life experiences to explore surreal sculptures and create soul-shaking and truly inspiring pieces.

Born and raised in Houston, Texas, the creative recalled showcasing her artistic side from as early as elementary school. “Growing up, I was told I could draw really well for my age,” she told The Sunday Gleaner in a recent interview. Aside from her happiest memories submitting pieces to her then teacher, Ms Perry, she recounted an instant where she sat and drew her. Her classmates were in awe of her talent.

If that wasn’t convincing enough, she entered the Houston livestock art contest where she placed second, a clear indication of her innate abilities and the greatness that was to come.

In 2018, while working full time in the hair-braiding business, she came up with the idea to paint a picture of a black woman and incorporate real braiding on the canvas to showcase in her hair studio. “I fell in love with three-dimensional art ever since,” Washington added.

Then came 2020, where everything she knew took a sudden turn. Hair braiding for the past six years had brought in a steady stream of income, but with the world closed, she was faced with no choice but to go back to the drawing board. In the heat of the global pandemic, she decided that it was the best time to put her dream into action. And that’s when she discovered her first love.

MESSAGES FROM GOD

The visual artist went on to retire from her hair business in 2020 and has been only pursuing her art career. “I would describe my artistry as ‘surrealism sculpturing’. My creative process starts with a word from God. I can look up scriptures about the heart or the mind, for example, and God would give me imagery. Then I’d sketch it out and then sculpt it once I have all the details I want on it. A sculpture usually takes me three to five days, depending on the size. That includes one day to air dry,” she revealed.

She recalls selling her first 3D painting at the All Access Art Show at The Ballroom at Bayou Place in downtown Houston back in 2021 for US$100 more than her asking price. Then to feature her artwork at the prestigious Elevate Experiences’ monthly Art of a Woman showcase was a truly life changing experience.

Among her collection, the piece that took the longest to create is titled ‘Colossians 3:2’ The sculpture explored placing your mind on eternal things, so for the imagery, she created a man thinking about Heaven: “I got the imagery for Heaven from the book of Revelations 21.”

FREE FROM PAIN

Her favourite piece to date is ‘I Still Have Joy’. It is a piece that continues to connect and resonate with the artist on a personal note. Washington explained that the piece tells her story of tears, happiness, and praise and worship. Through its creation, she was able to free herself from all the hurt and pain. It has gone viral on social media, racking up over six million views on Instagram. This stands as reassurance that she is on the right path, doing exactly what she was ordained to do and reaching many people spiritually in the process.

“It’s a constant reminder that whatever you’re facing in life, count it all as joy because all things work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose. It actually has so many positive messages in one piece, and that’s what makes it special,” she elaborated.

Prior to her personal and professional success, she was inflicted with self-doubt for two years. Questioning the decision she made to switch career paths wasn’t as easy as it looked. It came with financial sacrifices but gave her this great sense of purpose as fulfilment.

“At that time I didn’t realise God was preparing me for what I’ve been praying for. God has been opening door after door, blowing my mind, giving me exposure. I’m seeing things I’ve prayed for come to pass, and now I no longer doubt. There’s no doubt in my mind that God won’t keep His word. I know for a fact He will do whatever He promised.”

She is eternally grateful for engaging with this unique God-given gift. And with this blessing, she has returned the talent to her creator by bringing His teachings to the art world. Over time, she has witnessed her art ministry touching people and speaking life over them. That gives her great joy.

Washington’s motivation to tackle each day and keep her dream alive: her family. Her wonderful husband and their four beautiful children’s happiness is her own. “My husband and I, our lives revolve around the children, but I love our connection with each other. We have deep love for each other that’s unbreakable no matter what we go through.” But she remains extra motivated by her offspring, who are looking to her to be great. “I must make them proud,” she said, adding, “I want them to grow up and believe that they can do anything they put their mind to. I want to be a great role model for them and leave behind my legacy for them.”

See more of her work on her website www.maraartministry.com, on Facebook: Tamarica Washington, or Mara Art Ministry, Instagram and Tiktok: @mara.sculpt.it

krysta.anderson@gleanerjm.com