The lines between self and art blend as one when Arkansas artist Tammy Harrington from Russellville, AR, combines her passion and cultural inspiration into her creations.
Harrington’s parents are from China while she was born in the United States, “So it’s kind of a dichotomy of like, well, I live in 2 different worlds. I often explored it as like, okay, there’s Chinese Tammy and an American Tammy because they are 2 different, you know, things,” Harrington said.
She expressed the conflicting feelings of growing up with different experiences becoming intermixed and the ways it formed within her art.
“When I lived at home, there was much more of a Chinese experience, whereas out in the world of school and just American society, I really wanted to fit in with that world too. And, I think a lot of people can relate to that, whether it be they have identified with different races or just different parts of themselves,” Harrington said.
Being surrounded by art and its creation has always been a large part of life for Harrington and her time in college allowed her to really explore her identity as a female in terms of society and relationships which has since then allowed her to grow closer to themes of being a daughter, a mother and a spouse.
It wasn’t until graduate school though that she really took a closer look at her identity being linked to her heritage and being a Chinese American.
“I discovered paper cuts. So there’s a Chinese folk art called paper cut, and with that technique, it was an inexpensive way to essentially decorate around the house and to celebrate holidays, as well as tie into different things with superstitions or good luck charms,” Harrington said.
Culturally, this art form incorporates different materials that will either add luckiness to you or drive the evil spirits away, and paper cuts ties into the art form that Harrington was trained in during college – print making.
Harrington now embraces the uniqueness of a variety of art forms and includes aspects of her heritage, her educational background and herself into art.
“Now, I am exploring this work primarily with using myself as a subject matter. I think it’s because it is an exploration of my art and it’s also, I’m the easiest subject to use as a reference because I’m always around myself,” Harrington said.
Her art does not just stop at the creations she makes, because she is also a professor at the University of the Ozarks, where she is going on her 24th year teaching.
While teaching, Harrington is able to continue to create and find time during her personal schedule to make art that she loves while also instilling that appreciation into her students.
By not only teaching them skills but allowing them to understand the kind of art style they connect with, Harrington makes an impact long after a student’s graduation.
“I think that’s something that’s interesting for any creative, no matter if it’s going to be acting, or fashion design, or music,or dance, things like that. You have a product that you’re creating, but yet it’s still a lot part of you or your style. So I like to be able to help them discover that and hopefully foster that so they can continue to develop that after they graduate,” Harrington said.
The toll of motherhood was also another factor in Harrington’s artistic journey.
Neil Harrington, her husband, is also an artist and, “We would try to give each other at least, maybe one afternoon a week to just try and get something done. No matter if you were successful in actually producing something, it’s sometimes just nice to be able to have your head in a different space where you can be creative and make stuff beyond due dates or deadlines,” Harrington said.
Harrington has found it rewarding to allow her two children to grow up in a space where art is appreciated and help teach them to appreciate it no matter what field they aspire to be in.
Harrington will be featured at the Central Arkansas Collective on April 11, where she will be showing off her work and some newly created pieces including print making style.
Similar to how a rubber stamp works, Harrington hand prints art with this style and has combined paper cuts to layer her artwork where there are at least two layers of information and is then incorporated into a piece of work of herself.
She uses Chinese patterns she finds on textiles or even at a Chinese grocery store that has an interesting pattern where she incorporates both Chinese and American sides of herself.
Harrington embraces art in all of its forms and encourages it to all forms of people.
“Whether or not you are pursuing that as a career, it’s [art] still always something that’s going to be a part of you and will color how you view the world,” Harrington said.
Check out Tammy Harrington’s website or Instagram @tammyharringtonart and check out her event with The Arkansas Collective on April 11 at its downtown studio from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m.