On a brisk winter day, tucked away in a wonderful nook on Caroline Street, the artist sits in solitude, listening to holiday instrumentals, surrounded by oils, acrylics and watercolors, From four by eight feet canvases, to delicate frameables and cards, artwork lines the walls in an ambulant fashion that is just so. 

The artist is Tanya Richey, and the nook is her new studio and gallery located on Caroline Street in downtown Fredericksburg.

Richey states, "Painting is my passion, food is my vice and my family and friends are my salvation."

A World Of Influences

Richey, though a native of Virginia, studied art history in Paris, lived in Germany and travelled to remote destinations, such as Egypt and Cairo, which she describes as brimming with artistry and culture.

In 2009, Richey moved to Fredericksburg to be near her daughter and grandchildren.  Last January, she ran into Alan Howard, owner of The Gallery at 915 on Lafayette Boulevard, and wound up taking on the job of gallery curator.

"It turned out to be an exciting year because [Howard] works with a lot of emerging artists.   So, I was able to take my expertise, kind of really curate the show and help out a lot of these artists."

Eventually, Richey felt inspired to embark on a bold, new venture, and she decided to open up Tanya Richey Studio and Gallery on Caroline Street.

"I love being downtown," Richey said,  "I really like being able to see the people walking their dogs and walking back and forth, and just to meet people."

The Fredericksburg landscape, buildings and town itself serve as an inspiration to Richey, and has enabled her to build upon her emerging series of Virginia landscapes, which include depictions of Alexandria, Sperryville and Warrenton, to name a few.

She said, one day she was driving down from Chatham Manor, looked across the river and glimpsed the Fredericksburg skyline.  From this, she shaped her most recent addition to her series of townscapes.  Standing four feet tall and eight feet wide, the original acrylic painting looks tremendous in her quaint studio.

A Whimsical Approach To Art

Richey's influences are heaviest among impressionist and post-impressionists artists.  She admired the boldness of the impressionists as the first to go out into their surroundings with a white canvas in an attempt to capture the local light as it was splayed on the countryside.   With the impressionists' focus on light and shadow, came the need for post-impressionists to regain form.  This dualism of artistry very much mirrors the duality of the literal approach and whimsical detail often found in Richey's artwork.

"It seems like I have to go through this process where I literally have to get in touch with my world," Richey said, "after that, I add the whimsy…I go off and explore color, line and light, and tell a story in a different way."

Though she said there is much to be appreciated when it comes to the methodical and accurate approach to art, the whimsical approach is what inspires her and frolics from canvas to canvas throughout her studio.

Richey said, "To me, there are enough things in life that you have to do.  You have to do this, and pay your taxes and make a living, and there is enough stuff in the world, from suffering to poverty…I'm not really into all of the doom and gloom, that I have to live with.  I feel like, with art, this is my chance to finally just do what I want to do.  This is the whimsical side, which is really just having one concept, and playing with the color, line and the texture."

A Beautiful Struggle

Richey has thirty successful years of artistry under her belt, and an abundance of experience and wisdom to impart on any who seek her knowledge.

"An artist paints in solitude, but afterwards wants to socialize," Richey said, "you want to communicate, see what others see in your pieces and see if you communicated what you meant to at the start."

Richey has taught art classes, and performed critiques and consultations for years.   Now that her new studio gallery is up and running, she plans to begin classes at her new location this January.  She encourages all artists, from beginners to professional, to join her in painting anything from oils and acrylics, to watercolors. 

"I really try to figure out what it is [the students] need, and guide them in that direction," Richey said, "I am trying to have them find their vision and their voice."

Richey said, for many novice and emerging artists, the experience of displaying their art for the public is a rather intimidating one. 

"Most artists, including myself, have doubts," Richey said, "so, it's very beneficial to have somebody that you can just go to personally and talk to.  I think art is a form of communication, so I think it helps to develop a way of learning to communicate about your art, and to not be afraid to have somebody look at your art and talk about it."

Richey offers three sessions for $140 to classes with up to six students.  Additionally, she offers individual sessions for $35 per hour.  During her classes, artists can expect to study the work of early painters, and apply this knowledge to their technique.  Ultimately, Richey seeks to bring out the inner artist that is already within. 

"When you go deep inside yourself and pull it out, that is how you connect," Richey said, "I think that is the soul of being an artist, letting yourself out, and being able and willing to let others see in."

As an emerging artist, business owner and resident of the Fredericksburg community, Richey has high hopes for 2011.  She will dedicate the next year to putting together her studio gallery downtown, and hopes to connect with emerging and established local artists, as well as anyone and everyone who find joy in art. 

The creative process, whether it be in art, writing or music, is latent with inspirations, passions, excitements and doubts.  Richey calls it "a beautiful struggle".

The greatest encouragement she can give to overcome the universal struggle in all artistry, comes from her favorite quote, by Goethe—Boldness has genius on its own, so begin it.

Richey's artwork is currently on display at Tru Luv's Bistro, located on Sophia Street, and at The Gallery at 915, located on Lafayette Boulevard.