Tara Velan

I create where dreams, nature, and memory meet. I make art that wakes us to imagination — the wild in our bones and the wild in our world.

Currently 4th

in their Group
VOTE

You decide who will appear in Artforum Magazine, take home $25,000, and display their work at The Art of Elysium's Salon!

Voting for the Top 15 ends Thursday the 21st of May at 7PM PDT

What is The People's Artist?

Learn More
Connect
What is your favorite type of art to create?

I’m drawn to how different mediums talk to each other. I work big and small, from huge murals you can get lost in to intimate scenes you have to lean in to see. The small ones are full of surreal little landscapes and creatures I build from found objects and mixed media. There are hidden doors, odd textures, twists you find on the second look. Whether it’s a found wall space or a tiny sculpture scene in a shadowbox, I want it to feel like a dreamscape someone can actually step into.

Where do you find inspiration?

I think of what Georgia O’Keeffe said: “Interest is the most important thing in life; happiness is temporary, but interest is continuous.” Curiosity is my engine. If something moves me, I want that charge to hit you in front of the work. I build from paint, clay, light until feeling turns to gesture, scene, story. I’m known around Seattle for murals where skies go wild. Clouds feel surreal, electrically charged, painted in the brightest colors I can mix.

What would you do with $25,000?

I’d use it to build a large scale immersive art show where people can step into the dreamworld. I’d invest in materials and time to create a walk-through dreamscape with hidden doors, shadowboxes, and live moments, fusing painting, sculpture, and performance. I hope to continue to spark curiosity, wonder, and a new path forward for my art work and unique process, and I’d like to inspire anyone who enters my world or explores this work to do the same. Let’s stay curious ? ?️

The Art of Elysium

Vote for Tara Velan to become The People's Artist while supporting a great cause! Cast your free daily vote or make an even bigger impact when you vote by donation, supporting The Art of Elysium in their mission to use art as a catalyst to help people triumph over difficult life challenges.


1 Vote
10 Votes
25 Votes
50 Votes
100 Votes
250 Votes
Other Amount

Enter donation - $1 per vote

Powered by Colossal

Colossal is a nationally registered professional fundraiser that inspires people to advocate for themselves and those in need. Through online competitions like The People's Artist, Colossal offers participants the opportunity to make their mark while also making a big impact.


Explore Colossal Fundraising