Tara Pappas was raised in southern Colorado, where she spent her time painting, drawing, and exploring the mountains, valleys and rivers surrounding that area. After earning her Bachelor of Arts in studio art and classical guitar performance in 2007, she decided to head to Austin, Texas for her Master of Arts degree in Art Education.

Tara’s work is inspired by the idea that stories live all around us—those that have been told time and time again, and those that have yet to gain a voice. Her focus is on the latter. Drawing from her knowledge of fairy tales, folklore, and fables, Tara strives to create visual stories, embodying the timelessness of the fantastic and its connection with the ordinary. With this in mind, her work often begins with a foundation of words, using old book pages and text. Once her visual story is completed, a brightly colored border is painted around the edge to signify its conclusion—the telling of the story is then left to the imagination and interpretation of the viewer.

Tara Pappas currently lives in Laramie, Wyoming, where she enjoys teaching school and community art classes, as well as creating her own works of art in her studio.