Portland in Color

In December 2024, Portland in Color was thrilled to host our innaguaral Creative Refresh, a retreat for BIPOC artists. The event was held at the Society Hotel in the heart of the beautiful Columbia Gorge on lands home to tribal communities past and present including the Cascades, Wasco, Wishram, Klikatat, Wayám, and Yakama, now known as Bingen, Washington. An intimate cohort of 10 artists were selected to spend time resting, imagining, sharing, and creating alongside community. We're thrilled to share a Q&A with one of our beloved artists who was in attendance, Tieara Myers.

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Portland in Color: Please introduce yourself to your community. Who are you and what's your artist journey been like?

Tieara Myers: I've always been creative with a strong desire to produce art in the world. I started writing poetry when I was 10 years old and moved into writing fiction as I grew older. It was a means to express and distract myself during times of significant transitions in different living situations. It enabled me to focus on creativity through challenging and traumatic times in my life. Art has always been healing for me in that way. 

Later in life, I started to explore art in the form of materials. I designed jewelry made of precious gemstones that often hung low from the neck. Then, I had the joy of going to a quartz mine and got to dig up quartz to take home. I came away with so much that I began to sell it online, create jewelry with it too, and my ex-partner made gemstone wands. It was fun to become more tactical and physical in making art. The expression that comes from moving my body invigorates me and brings me to life. 

All that time, I continued to write poetry, prose, and fiction, and started to perform my work around Chicago. It was incredible to be on stage! Speaking a truth that felt taboo was liberating. Much of my writing and performance was focused on romance, love, and erotica. 

In my thirties, I began to explore art in a new way. I started with fluid art, which was incredibly unpredictable, and that was the joy of it! Now, I work with symbols, lines, and circles as a way to create depth and emotion with ease. Much of my art is very colorful and generally always has an accent of iridescent gold. I've continued to stay focused on abstract art and have really grown into my own style. I'm looking forward to expanding upon my art, selling more, and working at a larger scale where my art has a significant impact. 

PIC: There's so much openness in your response. We love the intuitive approach to your practice and how you let this guide you towards the exploration of those varied mediums. Turning towards the retreat, how did you feel going into Creative Refresh? And what was the transition back home like?

TM: Coming into Creative Refresh I was excited to meet everyone and be in the community. As an introverted extrovert, I was nervous about group dynamics and fitting into the group. My goal for the retreat was to be IN the community. So I had an opportunity to challenge myself not to get quiet and to be present in the group.  As the retreat started, I started to ease into things and open up more as I got comfortable. Our first yoga class profoundly helped me in this. It made my body feel safer and at ease. 

As the retreat started, I started to ease into things and open up more as I got comfortable. Our first yoga class profoundly helped me in this. It made my body feel safer and at ease. 

During the retreat, I remember having a sense of "knowing" everyone on a spiritual level. I'd look around and everyone felt like friends and family. It was quite the feeling. I never voiced it, until now, but allowed myself to experience it. I wasn't ready to come home when the retreat ended! Even at home, I could still feel the retreat's energy, hear conversations, see moments from the retreat in my mind. I allowed myself to marinate in the afterglow. I felt inspired and ready to take action on the goals and experiences I want to create for 2025. 

Retreat moments, as documented by Tieara Myers

PIC: Wow, thank you for sharing that testimony. It's amazing how much our bodies can hold, and how that movement, as you spoke of earlier, can spark a release and connection. Do you have any other moments of clarity or joy you'd like to share?

TM: Being in a community with other creative BIPOC artists was huge for me! This doesn't happen very often. I was so inspired by everyone's creativity in a way that inspires me to see my own potential and possibilities. To see that potential in other BIPOC artists was incredible. There was a way of being at the retreat that felt like unmasking or taking off a guard. I was able to be myself—my full black self. My ways of expression were able to shine. The connection to spirituality, pulling tarot cards through the day, was magical. This was all unexpected to I was so happy to be apart of the retreat and in this community. 

PIC: What are you are carrying with you from Creative Refresh? What might you impart to readers for their own practices?

TM: If you want to see something happen in your life, you've got to get a little bit uncomfortable. Push yourself past the edge that you've imagined. It's awkward but so rewarding. I watched people at the retreat be so nervous to share but when they did they'd glow. What they shared was so striking and beautiful and worth being seen. If I've learned anything over the last month—which the retreat validated—is that you have value and what you create is worth being seen. You are worth being seen as the creator that you are in your life. Just go for it.

If you want to see something happen in your life... push yourself past the edge that you've imagined... You have value and what you create is worth being seen. You are worth being seen as the creator that you are in your life. Just go for it.

PIC: We couldn't have said it better. Here here! What's next for Tieara Myers? Be it in your artistic practice, life, work, or anything else.

TM: Right now, I'm adding more of my artwork online for sale.  I'm excited to put my work out there more!  I have artwork on canvas and on tile that I'm excited to reintroduce. Much of it is colorful with gold as a feature focus.

I'm also a psychic reader and healer. Through January, I'm excited to be offering psychic readings about all the ways people are transforming in their lives—including the cycles they are ending as well. Folks interested can learn more here.

In my writing life, I've begun to submit for publication in online and print magazines. Much of this writing is based around romance, love, and sexuality. Over the last few years, I've expanded and moved deeper into personal non-fiction, horror, sci-fi, and fantasy. In Chicago, I used to perform my writings and had one piece featured in a play. I am looking forward to performing in Portland, OR in the future. Past writing can be read here.

And in general, I'm looking forward to creating more across the board. To create on the large scale that I envision much of my overall art, I'll need extra support. For this, I'm exploring grants and scholarships within the arts. To grow bigger and produce art that has an impact as always been goal for me.