Meet the Members: Tachiya Bryant
From L to R: A picture of Tachiya Bryant in her studio; Eye Remember (2023); The World is Your Stage (2024). Picture of Tachiya Bryant taken by Pierre Whitsey. Other photos taken by Tachiya Bryant.
“Meet the Members” is a periodic series that profiles the various creatives that inhabit Local Color’s Creative Spaces. Our Creative Spaces program offers low-cost workspace for artists and creatives working in a variety of fields.
Tachiya Bryant is a multimedia artist based in San Jose. An artist who originally started with digital art, she has expanded her practice to include clay, illustrations, collages, photography, and film. Some of her pieces were previously on display at the New Museum of Los Gatos’s Boundaries exhibit and the Palo Alto Arts Center’s What’s Cooking exhibit.
We conducted this interview in her studio at Local Color’s Digital Underground in late April.
Hi Tachiya! I noticed that you said you started with digital art, but later branched out into different media. How do you enjoy being a multimedia artist?
[Digital art] is a different style. There’s certain styles that I can do with digital art that I can’t necessarily do with painting, or certain concepts that I want to do with painting that I can’t do with collage. That’s the thing I love about being multi-hyphenated: when something isn’t clicking, I can switch over and see if that works instead.
Was there any particular reason why you picked up art?
I needed a hobby. I needed something to manage my stress and an outlet where I could express certain feelings or life transitions that I was going through.
The thing about art is that it’s hidden. Nothing is known unless you want it to be. It’s perception, and I loved that about art. It wasn’t until 2020 when I looked at [my piece “Dutty Mouth”] and was like, “Wow, I did this. This came from me.” I made the type of art that I would admire from somebody else, and I knew that if I dedicated more time to it, I could really grow as an artist.
Tachiya’s piece “Dutty Mouth”
How do you think your art style has evolved?
In the past, I felt that my vision preceded my talent. Over time, I realized that it’s not about having the tools; it’s about being confident and being intentional with your work.
My art’s also always been a little cheeky and weird, but in the beginning, I got caught up thinking about how [art] had to be real, even though my inspiration was Basquiat—and Basquiat doesn’t do realism at all! Once I got out of that mindset, it was easier to [think], “Okay, well based on my lived experience, what do I have to say?” This has helped me become more comfortable with embracing meaning in my art. I’m currently working on a series that’s more serious and has to do with transmuting anger and heavy emotions.
Did you have a studio space before your current studio at Local Color?
No, so I was working out of everywhere. I was doing art on the job, at school, at home. Because of that, I was limited to smaller works. It wasn’t until I went, “Hey, I’m gonna commit. I’m gonna bite the bullet and get my own studio space,” that I was really able to expand on my pieces. Now that I’m getting into the flow and habit of painting bigger, I [think], “Wait. Even these 11 by 14s seem too small.”
How has a studio space influenced your small business?
With where I’m at with my practice, I want my artwork to go to homes. I find myself thinking: How am I going to sell my art? What is selling? What do people like? I’m still in the process of figuring it out.
It’s interesting, because I’ve had people visit my studio and want to buy the piece that was on the wall and I’m like, “No…” Sometimes, I even raise the prices on my pieces because I don’t want to part with them. It’s difficult because I feel like they’re my babies, but if I want to grow and have this be my career, some things have to leave the nest.
I know you mentioned that you are a multimedia artist, but are there any other art media you would like to explore further?
There’s a few things. I’m a marketing manager and extensively work with social media, and I had a mentorship with CreaTV in 2023 where I did a documentary, so I would love to expand my practice as a filmmaker. I don’t have much experience writing scripts, but I do have concepts that I want to expand upon. I also want to improve my animation and photography.
Do you have any advice for creatives or artists?
If you really want to do something, you have to be okay with the fact that you might not immediately receive validation. Don’t let this deter you from wanting to get better and wanting to create. Also, focus on what you want to say and how you feel about your art practice, as opposed to what other people are saying. Compliments come and go, and the same can be said for the way people feel about you. Be motivated by yourself instead.
If you’d like to learn more about Tachiya and her work, visit tachiyabryant.com or follow her on Instagram (@tachiyaroolz)