For Tamara Hastie, painting isn’t about recreating a view, it’s about capturing how a place made her feel. Working from her studio in Flagstaff, the Arizona artist creates contemporary interpretive landscapes that reflect memories of time spent outdoors. Layers of oil and cold wax, applied with a palette knife, build texture and depth, while bold color captures the changing light, atmosphere and emotion of the landscape.
“My paintings aren’t meant to represent one specific place,” Hastie says. “They’re interpretations of places that stayed with me, those moments where I stopped, took it all in and felt connected to the landscape.”
Creativity has always been part of her life. Before painting became a career, it was simply how she processed the world around her. Whether hiking, rock climbing or traveling, she found herself paying close attention to color, texture and the subtle details that often go unnoticed. “Painting became my way of preserving those experiences,” she says. “It’s something words can’t always describe.”
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Living in Flagstaff provides no shortage of inspiration. From dramatic skies and changing seasons to volcanic rock formations, Northern Arizona continues to shape her work. She finds herself returning again and again to cliffs, canyons and long views, where shifting light transforms familiar places throughout the day.
Instead of painting them literally, she translates those memories into color and texture. “I love color because it lets me express how a place felt rather than simply what it looked like,” she says. Each piece begins with a loose sketch before layers of oil and cold wax are built across the canvas. As the painting develops, unexpected marks and textures often become the strongest parts of the composition. “I start with an idea, not a finished picture,” Hastie explains. “The painting evolves as I work, and sometimes the surprises become the most meaningful part.”
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That openness is part of what draws collectors to her work. Rather than telling viewers exactly what they’re looking at, her paintings leave room for personal interpretation. “We’re all looking for moments of peace,” she says. “If someone sees one of my paintings and it reminds them of a place that’s meaningful to them, then it’s done its job.”
It’s a quality that also makes her work especially compelling in residential interiors. Original art has the ability to anchor a room, bringing warmth, personality and a sense of permanence that can’t be replicated. “Artwork changes the way a space feels,” Hastie says. “It invites people to slow down and spend time with it.”
For Hastie, that’s what luxury means. “Luxury is surrounding yourself with things that have meaning, craftsmanship and a story behind them,” she says. As her work continues to evolve, one thing remains constant: her desire to create paintings that encourage people to pause.Â
Collectors can view and purchase Tamara Hastie’s work at Bonner David Galleries in Scottsdale, where her textured interpretive landscapes bring the quiet reflective beauty of land into interiors.
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