JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Tatiana Kitchen is a local artist hoping to inspire people in Jacksonville and across the country through her work.
“It’s something I enjoy because it’s always been a means of self-expression,” Kitchen said.
It wasn’t until roughly six years ago that she started painting professionally.
“Well, I graduated high school, I started college thinking I wanted to be a psychiatrist. Then, after a semester in school, it wasn’t something I was passionate about,” explained Kitchen.
That is when she decided to pursue her passion for art. Over the past few years, she said, her work has evolved in several ways.
“It’s definitely evolved in its style. It’s a lot more elaborate, a lot more detailed,” said Kitchen. “The meaning of it is a lot more intricate than it was when I started out. Before it was just kind of something. I would just paint things I thought were pretty or things you know that I liked, and now it’s more of trying to paint a feeling, trying to paint emotion.”
Her work is displayed throughout the River City. She’s painted several meaningful murals.
“It’s an experience that leaves me wanting more every time I finish a mural,” said Kitchen. “It has me thinking, ‘How can I do it bigger and better the next time?’”
She said she hopes her work will inspire others.
“I paint Black people like myself so I hope people who are like me when they see these paintings that it really does give them another perspective of themselves,” explained Kitchen. “I just hope that people like me, when they see these, that it gives them another look into themselves to maybe see themselves as more than just your average Black person, to just see themselves as someone who can also express themselves and can also be creative in their own life.”
Her goal is to reach people beyond Jacksonville and the Sunshine State.
“I really want to master my style and my craft,” said Kitchen. “Definitely go national with my art. I want to do some murals outside of Florida.”
Kitchen said during the pandemic, her business actually increased. She believes her art was a sense of comfort for people spending more time inside.
If you want to learn more about her work, you can follow her on Instagram @phoenixaaart.