Tamara Łuć is a South African Mixed Media Artist, teacher, and podcaster based in Poland. Through her vibrant, whimsical work, featuring grumpy, quirky, cute characters, she seeks to unearth herself and explore the complexities of trauma, emotions, identity, as well as self-expression. Drawing inspiration from her diverse cultural background, Tamara’s art is both playful and introspective. She is also the co-host of the "(NOT) a Real Artist" Podcast with Iris Fritschi-Cussens, where they delve into topics about creativity, personal growth, and the art world.

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Art is Magic because it transforms the intangible into something seen, felt, and understood. Emotions, thoughts, and experiences, guided by imagination, find their way onto the page. What words sometimes fail to express, art translates into colour, shape, and form. It takes the unspoken and makes it visible, turning inner worlds into something that can be witnessed.

Why do you create art?

Because it is the one place where I can truly be myself. While doubts and wobbles still creep in after the process, generally my page is welcoming, even when I am painting the “hard stuff. Creating feels like I’m doing something that is inherently “right” for my being.

Tell us about your journey to become an artist?

My artistic journey began in 2018. In retrospect, I can see that my coping mechanisms designed to survive were no longer serving me, I was living in a time of peace and safety, but I did not feel that way. Painting became a new avenue for personal growth and healing.

Tell us about your journey to claim the title artist?

It was about understanding what the title of "artist" truly meant to me. For a long time, I tied it to the modern perception of art - its connection to success, recognition, and external validation. But a very belligerent voice inside me pushed back: If I create, I am an artist. Birds weaving nests are artists. My niece making new slimes, absolutely an artist! Art isn’t just in galleries or grand exhibitions; it’s in the act of making, expressing, and transforming. Accepting that truth allowed me to claim the title with confidence.

What is it about making art that stirs your soul?

At the very heart of it, art is a way for me to reconnect with myself, the parts that get lost, buried, or left behind (with the promise of returning to them, one day, some day). Life has a way of dulling our edges, but through creating, I rediscover who I am.

What is currently inspiring you?

My dog. I absolutely love the agency and comfort he has in expressing his wants and needs. If he doesn’t want to cuddle, he lets you know. If he isn’t interested in playing, he simply won’t engage. In a world where we’re often expected to be polite to our own detriment, prioritising others’ comfort over our own, swallowing our discomfort, even compromising our safety, his unapologetic self-assurance is a valuable lesson.