Cardinal at the Feeder Painting

Tina Swindell is an artist from North Alabama who is always intrigued by the light falling on her chosen subject, especially on the faces of people or animals. She enjoys the challenge of conveying the spirit of a person, an animal, or a place in her work and focuses on portraiture with that in mind. She uses oils and watercolors as well as some gouache, casein (milk paint) pastels, and alcohol inks.  She grew up in Alabama on a farm full of animals, vegetables, trees, ponds, flowers, always had pets and loved the outdoors.  Many of her paintings (and songs) are made up of memories of her childhood on that 50 acre family farm.  She worked for NASA in administration for 30 years, singing in bands with her husband and writing songs in addition to raising a beautiful daughter during those years. Her songs were recorded by Kenny Rogers, Ronnie Milsap, Bonnie Bramlett, Chuck Leavell (of the Rolling Stones) and others and she is listed in the Muscle Shoals Music Hall of Fame. Her songs were also used as background music in 4 NASA videos.  She and her group Sister Grace recorded a CD of her original songs in 2007.  She retired from NASA in 2014 and now enjoys painting in her home studio full time.