Tempra Faye Board

Artist Statement

I am a mostly self-trained artist working in ink, markers, watercolor, graphite, colored pencil, collage, and oil. I have studied with Mendonoma-based artists Mike Henderson (graphite), Andrea Allen (Chinese brush painting in sumi ink), and Kathleen Alexander (watercolor), as well as Humboldt-County-based oil painter Rachel Schlueter. I have also studied botanical illustration in graphite, ink, and watercolor through the New York Botanical Garden’s continuing education program.

After a lifetime of wrongly believing that I “had no talent,” I began drawing and painting in earnest when I was introduced to nature journaling during COVID. Since then, I have tried to quiet my inner critic, and simply play and practice, the keys to success. I take my inspiration from living on The Sea Ranch, with its mesmerizing and constantly changing landscapes, and native plants, birds, and other wildlife.

In 2024, wanting to bridge my skills in graphic layout, writing, and art, I launched Mark Makers’ Quarterly (MMQ), a print journal of rural California art and artists (markmakersquarterly.com). In 2026, in partnership with artist Kathleen Alexander, I launched the Grey Whale Gallery, art studio, and workshops on The Sea Ranch (greywhalegallery.com).