Nouvelles

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.

On Sourdough and Simplicity - and what that means for art and life.

On Sourdough and Simplicity - and what that mea...

We tend to overcomplicate things, don’t we? Sourdough, art, business, even life—there’s always someone telling us we need to follow all the rules, measure everything perfectly, and do it 'the...

On Sourdough and Simplicity - and what that mea...

We tend to overcomplicate things, don’t we? Sourdough, art, business, even life—there’s always someone telling us we need to follow all the rules, measure everything perfectly, and do it 'the...

A portrait of the artist outside where she works

An Introduction

Hi, I’m Tara. I grew up in Nebraska, way out in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by wide-open plains and endless skies. Years later, after moving to New England and...

An Introduction

Hi, I’m Tara. I grew up in Nebraska, way out in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by wide-open plains and endless skies. Years later, after moving to New England and...