Stories and Perspectives

A detail shot of a loose watercolor landscape with yellow, magenta, teal, gray, and black, from Tara Shoemaker Art

Where It Begins: Inside the Creative Process of...

Original art starts with risk, not polish. Every piece begins in uncertainty—and ends in something only you can recognize as yours.

Where It Begins: Inside the Creative Process of...

Original art starts with risk, not polish. Every piece begins in uncertainty—and ends in something only you can recognize as yours.

A flatlay of original paintings on paper from Tara Shoemaker Art

What Makes Art Worth Collecting—And How to Know...

We scroll past hundreds of images a day—pleasant, polished, and forgettable. But every so often, a painting holds you. It asks something more of you. And it gives something back.

What Makes Art Worth Collecting—And How to Know...

We scroll past hundreds of images a day—pleasant, polished, and forgettable. But every so often, a painting holds you. It asks something more of you. And it gives something back.

A pen and ink sketch of the Pell Bridge in Newport, Rhode Island by artist Joseph Matose

It Doesn’t Have to Match: How to Choose Art Tha...

You don’t always know why a piece speaks to you. You just know it does. I still remember the first time that happened to me—a pen and ink sketch of...

It Doesn’t Have to Match: How to Choose Art Tha...

You don’t always know why a piece speaks to you. You just know it does. I still remember the first time that happened to me—a pen and ink sketch of...

Close-up of Tara Shoemaker’s original watercolor painting 'Penuel,' showing expressive brushwork and texture—example of faith-based, handmade art worth collecting.

Why Handmade Art Feels Different—and Why It’s W...

Handmade art doesn’t just fill space—it holds presence. It tells the truth, carries conviction, and stays with you long after trends fade. Here’s why I believe original work matters, and...

Why Handmade Art Feels Different—and Why It’s W...

Handmade art doesn’t just fill space—it holds presence. It tells the truth, carries conviction, and stays with you long after trends fade. Here’s why I believe original work matters, and...

“Beulah,” an original landscape painting by Tara Shoemaker, framed and displayed on a dark wood surface beside white tulips in a gold vase; warm, moody lighting highlights the painting’s depth and contrast.

How Do You Know What Art Is Yours?

Wondering how to find your art style? This post explores how to recognize the kind of artwork that speaks to you—and why trusting your taste matters when choosing art for...

How Do You Know What Art Is Yours?

Wondering how to find your art style? This post explores how to recognize the kind of artwork that speaks to you—and why trusting your taste matters when choosing art for...

Watercolor painting of a stylized tree with the number 7 hidden in the branches, created for our 7th wedding anniversary. Hangs in our dining room.

What Story Does Your Art Tell?

Art isn’t just for filling space—it’s for telling the truth about who we are, what we’ve walked through, and what still matters.

What Story Does Your Art Tell?

Art isn’t just for filling space—it’s for telling the truth about who we are, what we’ve walked through, and what still matters.