TATIANA TOBON

Tatiana grew up in Waterloo, a small town in St. Clair County, Illinois, where Midwestern values of community, modesty, and self‑reliance are prevalent. Her family background is white, with roots in the region that blend traditional rural life—farmers’ markets, local fairs, and church gatherings—with exposure to broader cultural currents through the internet and regional trips to St. Louis. This mix nurtures a grounded sensibility while encouraging her curiosity about diverse artistic expression

Tatiana aims to complete her high school education or obtain a GED within the next two years, then enroll in a community college or specialized art institute to earn an associate degree in visual arts or graphic design. Her long‑term ambition is to become a professional visual artist or freelance graphic designer, creating illustrated content for indie publishers and local businesses. She also hopes to curate a small gallery space in Waterloo that showcases work by emerging regional artists, mer

Tatiana has cultivated a suite of creative and self‑directed skills that reflect her curiosity and love for art. She is proficient in sketching and charcoal drawing, creating digital illustrations using free software, and composing poetry and short stories. She has basic photography abilities and can edit images with simple tools. Her organizational side shines through in planning small community art showcases and managing personal project timelines. Additionally, she is adept at self‑learning t

In her free time, Tatiana enjoys drawing landscapes and character studies, exploring indie music on streaming platforms, and reading speculative fiction and graphic novels. She often experiments with photography on local nature trails, writes poems that she shares in a tight‑knit online writing circle, and attends occasional small‑group workshops at the Waterloo public library. She also likes tinkering with new creative apps, visiting modest art exhibits in nearby St. Louis, and curating a perso