Meet Tessa Reed | Teacher & Creator

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

Hi Tessa, what are you inspired by?
I believe inspiration can be found everywhere! I find myself deeply inspired by color – colors from magazine pages, business signs, gardens, interior paint sample brochures, and even walking the isles of the grocery store looking at packaging! I love discovering new artists and crafters on Instagram or YouTube as well. Personally, one of the most impactful ways I find inspiration is through nature. Nature gives me peace, fills my soul, clears my mind, lets my imagination run wild, and my creative thoughts explode. I love taking my watercolors, stamped images, or pens and sketchbook with me while I sit in the forest, a meadow, or next to a river and get lost in the creative process that unfolds. When I leave I feel refreshed and energized, with renewed motivation to create.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My paying job is a teacher. I started off teaching K-8 art for several years, and now teach 4th grade. My passion is not only for kids, but also art. I have been documenting my craft/art through Instagram for over a decade now, and have had some great opportunities arise. I am most proud of winning several prizes (First Judge’s Choice, Third Judges Choice, and First People’s choice) in a Zentangle art show, as well as the opportunities I have had to be on design teams for stamp companies and small businesses. Through this journey I have realized that creating to please people, get followers, or the most likes is not fulfilling. When I first started creating and posting on Instagram, my focus was on documenting my art pieces (many posts of which I have since deleted, ironically), since most of it was given away to family and friends. Throughout my early journey I started getting a few followers here and there, and then started creating to target my audience for growth and interactions. In the process, I lost focus on my purpose of why I created and it no longer was fun. I often compared myself to others, which gave me a feeling of being inadequate. I took a break for a few months – from posting, from creating, from art in general. I then returned to card making and loved the idea of creating little shareable works of art in shorter amounts of time. I returned to Instagram, simply to post my cards to look back on as I mailed them. I continue to share on my Instagram, and often take breaks when I feel I start to lose focus. I share this story so I can follow it up with one of the lessons I have learned along the way, and one of my mantras: “Comparison is the thief of all joy.” Create for you. Period.

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 hope this is a road trip…. Buckle up!! Let’s start at one of my favorite all time restaurants: The Armadillo in LaSalle, near my hometown of Greeley. Have an early lunch and chow down on fresh chips and salsa, then get a chicken turnover, but ask for it with queso instead of green chili. You always have to go up the Poudre Canyon a bit, and camp in Pingree Park. By now you have seen a glimpse at both the agriculture of Colorado, and the rugged mountains. We would then to take the Masonvillle road over over to highway 34 and up to Glenn Haven where we would stop for a cinnamon roll. We would continue up the canyon to Estes Park for wildlife and people watching, saltwater taffy, shirts, and a peek at the Stanley Hotel. Of course we would have to go to Rocky Mountain National Park where we would take a walk around Sprague Lake, check out the Alluvial Fan, and drive up old Fall River Road to the Alpine visitors center. From there, we would continue driving toward Granby and stop at Grand Lake. Once you get to Granby, there are so many options – head west for hot springs and Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (one of the most underrated parks!), head north to my favorite lake for fishing, head south to the Mesa Verde/Great Sand Dunes, or head east towards Boulder and the Flatirons. There’s so much to do and see in Colorado, you’ll never be bored!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d have to dedicate my shoutout to the ones who have recognized and encouraged my creativity – my very first art teacher (Mrs. Pat Boxum) who I had in 8th grade because she recognized my passion for creating, pushed my thinking, and let me dabble in anything I desired, my dad for the ways he creatively engineers solutions to problems and taught me to think in the same way, my mom for the space/supplies to explore my interests and endless trips to the art store, and of course my creative friends who I can talk artsy with.

Instagram: @TessaReedDesigns

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tessa-reed-714913b3/