Meet Tanisha Jengehino | Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tanisha Jengehino and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tanisha, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I guess the thought process was like any other starving artist, to eat! 😅 I wanted to be able to sustainably make art and live off of it. I wanted to get out from behind a corporate desk and phone. I wanted to have freedom with my time. Who doesn’t?

I needed my art to save me the way it had a million times before. I paint, bead, crochet, sculpt and do a thousand other artistic things. The way I walk is art. The way I think is art. My small and limited life explodes when I’m inspired. Nothing else matters until ‘the thing’ (whatever piece has a hold on me) is done.

And that is how I choose to live my whole life and an office felt like poison to me.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Every artist is set apart. We immerse ourselves in the world, for inspiration and sometimes out of desperation. What connects us to the people around us? I find that art is a way to connect, which isn’t always easy for me or natural. So every show, every post is like ripping at a hang nail. It’s not my natural state to talk about my work, because doing it is necessary for me. I started doing beadwork specifically because I was in a very dark place. I am bi-polar and at my lowest, I needed a ladder. And beading & art became one.

My brand is merely me. The inside of my head & heart, messy and hopeful and ever-changing. My art is evolving towards human rights and resistance art. #freepalestine and all oppressed people. That’s where I’m headed in my art. To collective liberation.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I don’t live in LA, so I’m not sure how much this helps, but I am always down for a Drag brunch and running around any city, taking pictures and eating at small mom & pop places. I also try to check out any local artists. But graffiti is just as good to me, if not better.

I also like to see if there are any outdoor places to rollerskate or stand-up paddleboard. Nature, in any form it takes, especially in a city, is worth exploring.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My husband has had my back from day one. He is a graphic designer, so he is also an artist. He gets me. I also had a friend that taught me to bead. She wouldn’t want a shout out, but she knows who she is. And of course, my lovely clients and customers, who push me harder than I sometimes push myself. 🙃

Website: https://Www.darlingbeadworks.com

Instagram: Darling.beadworks

Image Credits
Tanisha Jengehino