Tana Hakanson

Painting is my way of connecting to spirit…inspiration comes from nature. Experiencing colors and textures when I’m out in nature hiking or by the ocean, and then painting those gives me a sense of belonging to something meaningful…the vibrancy of the colors resonates inside like a moving piece of music, forming an internal landscape, a garden of feeling from which to nourish. I tend to use very liquedey paint, manipulating it with movement, gravity, breath, air. Moving the paint around, letting it flow into different textures and shapes feels like a natural process that I’m participating in and observing as it reveals, manifests a feeling or essence.The process allows for a flow of conversation between inner and outer states, where I can explore and express a dimensional level of experience.The painting process is my ongoing exploration of that undefinable sea.


About me and why I paint…I drew all the time growing up, and a painting course in college got me hooked on painting for life. I left my classical flutist career goals behind and never looked back (I still very much love listening to music). I continued to study at Academy of Art College, and after a foray into commercial art illustrating pet books, realized I really cr...

M.A. Studio Arts, Arts & Consciousness, JFK University, Berkeley, California USA