Tania LaCaria
Tania LaCaria (Canada b. 1985) is an Italian-Canadian artist. She holds a BA in Fine Arts from York University (2006) and a CIDA advanced diploma in Interior Design from Sheridan College (2009). LaCaria launched her residential interior design consulting firm in 2005 and has since traveled the world extensively, gathering inspiration from various cultures and countries where she’s lived, namely in Latin America and South East Asia. Her travels have always influenced her work in art and design and continue to be an important source of inspiration for her. She returned to Canada and settled in Hamilton in 2016, where she currently lives and works.
ARTIST’S STATEMENT
LaCaria’s work explores paradox - the idea that two opposing realities can exist at the same time - with a focus on themes based on gender, sexuality, social structure/class systems, body politics and relationships, often presented in an Abstract Expressionist aesthetic. LaCaria’s mission in life is to form meaningful connections with others, and she does this through her art.
As a conceptual artist, LaCaria thrives in a state of curiosity, eager to ask questions of herself and the world around her during her creative process while admitting she doesn't have the answers. Her background in Interior Design blends seamlessly with her love for visual arts as LaCaria spent the majority of her professional life as a solutionist for her clients. Now, as a full-time professional artist, LaCaria is eager to share her curiosity with others by producing thought-provoking work that prompts viewers to ask questions about themselves and their life experiences.
In order to ensure viewers make an emotional connection to her visual works, LaCaria exhibits and presents her work alongside her poetry, her preferred method of story-telling, to provide additional context to the motivation behind her creative decisions. Her creative process has been described as ‘performative’ with an emphasis on the deep introspection, vulnerability and social observations she is making that are often juxtaposed by the playful, “fun” and seemingly light-hearted way her often brightly colored work presents to viewers.
Tania LaCaria (Canada b. 1985) is an Italian-Canadian artist. She holds a BA in Fine Arts from York University (2006) and a CIDA advanced diploma in Interior Design from Sheridan College (2009). LaCaria launched her residential interior design consulting firm in 2005 and has since traveled the world extensively, gathering inspiration from various cultures and countries where she’s lived, namely in Latin America and South East Asia. Her travels have always influenced her work in art and design and continue to be an important source of inspiration for her. She returned to Canada and settled in Hamilton in 2016, where she currently lives and works.
ARTIST’S STATEMENT
LaCaria’s work explores paradox - the idea that two opposing realities can exist at the same time - with a focus on themes based on gender, sexuality, social structure/class systems, body politics and relationships, often presented in an Abstract Expressionist aesthetic. LaCaria’s mission in life is to form meaningful connections with others, and she does this through her art.
As a conceptual artist, LaCaria thrives in a state of curiosity, eager to ask questions of herself and the world around her during her creative process while admitting she doesn't have the answers. Her background in Interior Design blends seamlessly with her love for visual arts as LaCaria spent the majority of her professional life as a solutionist for her clients. Now, as a full-time professional artist, LaCaria is eager to share her curiosity with others by producing thought-provoking work that prompts viewers to ask questions about themselves and their life experiences.
In order to ensure viewers make an emotional connection to her visual works, LaCaria exhibits and presents her work alongside her poetry, her preferred method of story-telling, to provide additional context to the motivation behind her creative decisions. Her creative process has been described as ‘performative’ with an emphasis on the deep introspection, vulnerability and social observations she is making that are often juxtaposed by the playful, “fun” and seemingly light-hearted way her often brightly colored work presents to viewers.
$1,190.00
Flashe, acrylic, coloured pencil on canvas.
20x36x1.50"
Without a thought, there’s an inhale, an exhale. One count. Two. Three. Four. Easily disrupted, easily controlled.
Without a thought, there’s a beat, a filling, a releasing. The systolic and diastolic in perfect flow, mindlessly, lovingly; your own heart beating only for you; your own heart living just for you.
Without a thought to your thoughts, they can build a cage around your mind, set the bullseye for your heart and strike in the dark.
To make a home of your own heart is a choice, a meditation, a practice; the ultimate rebellion to hate; an act of pure love.
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Displacement: The act of being removed, displaced, rehoused, relocated; to result in a state of disorganization, confusion, elation, inspiration, disruption.
The Displacement collection explores the post-adrenaline lucidity that settles in after having been rearranged, moved, shifted, altered, either in place and body or spiritually in heart and mind, or in most cases, both.
The artist is asking questions about what results in the heart, mind and psyche after having been physically displaced, as she observes members of her community be un-housed and re-housed, either by choice or by circumstance. In the artist’s personal case, she is aware of her position of privilege as she seeks to move locations and displace herself as a form of empowerment and inspiration; whereas the same experience of displacement for those who have not elected to do so is disorienting, exhausting and draining.
Displacement is an exploration of the power behind intention, the divide between social classes and the way conversations about displacement either empower or oppress others based on their socio economic circumstances.
$1,444.00
Acrylic, ink, marker and conte on canvas.
40x48x0.75"
The definition of boundless is to be unlimited; immense. Is this a word you would use to describe your life? It isn’t one I used for myself in the past, but I am trying to change that. At least, I would like to change the way I think about my potential, my goals, my dreams (which are all extensions of me as a person) and consider those to be boundless. To imagine that there is infinite possibility for my dreams to shift in any direction is freeing, even if it’s intimidating to put into practice.
The limitations we put on ourselves hold us back. We are our own worst critics, succumbing to false beliefs that were planted in our subconscious that make us feel small, incapable and scared. But false beliefs are just that - false! Our insecurities are not real, they’re just limitations we set so that we have an excuse not to push ourselves beyond our comfort zones. But guess what? It’s so exciting to step out of that comfort zone, even in a small way at first.
This painting is about the paradox of trying to live in a state of boundlessness (possibility) but constantly deferring back to the false beliefs we tell ourselves that result in confinement (limitations). The fulfilling possibilities that are available to all of us in our work, our relationships and our goals become easy to imagine if we open our minds to the potential we have. And yet, we still find ways to diminish our goals because we think we don’t deserve to dream that big.
In order to communicate the intention to live without boundaries through this painting, I created several “windows'' that represent miniature galaxies. Each one appears like a portal through the canvas and represents a vast, boundless darkness. This darkness seems foreboding and eerie; there is something terrifying about vastness and openness (especially in space!). But the vastness isn’t meant to be intimidating, amidst the darkness there is always light to be found, like the stars, the moon, the sun, the planets.
This painting is a reminder to think big, to reject the tendency we have to limit ourselves mentally or physically; to expand our minds and hearts beyond our wildest dreams, but to also remember to stay focused, to stay humble, to stay grounded. I am learning that it is possible to do both at the same time. To be able to imagine my life as boundless and full of possibility is a hopeful and exciting feeling. It’s ok to be scared of your own potential - getting what you’ve always wanted can seem scary at first because it requires you to take action and accountability. But that’s ok. Take action! Hold yourself accountable for your own life! Don’t let your imaginary limitations hold you back. Dive into those mini galaxies with an open heart and you just might surprise yourself. It’s time for a boundless mindset!
This painting is part of the Out Of this World collection from 2021.
$2,175.00
Acrylic, spray paint, ink on raw canvas.
44x56x1.50"
Sometimes we get a better understanding of knowing who we are by getting to know others. It’s in the positioning of ourselves and our circumstances compared to those around us that we can gain a better understanding of ourselves.
In Miami, I found myself floating in between two worlds - not fully belonging to either one, but absolutely being a part of both in some way
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The Miami collection of paintings inspired by Art Week in Miami explores themes of class division, and the palpable cultural differences that exist within one city (that ironically seems to have its own sense of cultural identity that seems highly influenced by the working class). This collection also explores the theme of art, and what is considered to be art according to the viewer (ie: graffiti vs. abstract art, landscape photography vs. landscape painting, photojournalism vs. portraiture).
$1,900.00
Acrylic, ink on raw canvas.
42x48x1.50"
We are a different version of ourselves depending on who we’re interacting with - each person's personality can be so wildly versatile.
We play a different role in the lives of the people we know - we are parents, we are children, we are friends, we are lovers, we are teachers, we are students. We can be one or more of those things to one person, and yet we are all of those things at some time or another. But deep down, we each have a core sense of Self. The type of person you are when no one is watching, when there’s no judgement or need to perform. That is the person we must all come to love, because that identity is the only person we will truly be forever. If one of the roles you play with others is met with friction, just remember who you are - you are so much more than the one role you’re known for to someone else. You are you, in all your perfect imperfection.
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The Miami collection of paintings inspired by Art Week in Miami explores themes of class division, and the palpable cultural differences that exist within one city (that ironically seems to have its own sense of cultural identity that seems highly influenced by the working class). This collection also explores the theme of art, and what is considered to be art according to the viewer (ie: graffiti vs. abstract art, landscape photography vs. landscape painting, photojournalism vs. portraiture).
$1,600.00
Acrylic, flashe, ink on canvas.
40x50x1.50"
A place for summer evening walks for ice cream, mid-day jaunts to the water. She’d watch the boats come in and out of the shore, walk the path, avoid the goose shit on the ground, sit on the grass and look at the shoreline. She’d dodge the skateboarders and the roller bladers speeding around the path. She’d bring books and beers and pens and papers and sunglasses and sweaters. A place for Wednesday evening, a place for Friday night. First dates. Swans. Sunsets. Running shoes. Baby ducks. Bees. Flowers. The sun dropping into the horizon. A place for telling her truths when she was used to hearing nothing but stories.
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The I Used To Hate This City collection embodies a celebration of self-empowerment, rage, persistence, triumph, perspective and resilience. It explores the evolution of the artist’s relationship with the City of Hamilton over the course of the past year as it shifted from Love, to Hate, back to Love again. These themes coincide with what the artist has experienced on her personal journey but also touch upon her observations of the City during recent times of gentrification, isolation and political change.
The paintings in this collection began as self-portraits that have since been covered with layers of paint, spray paint, coffee, and gold leaf to form abstracted depictions of Hamilton landmarks that are reminiscent of the new memories the artist has created in familiar places.
The idea that the artist's previous and new-found sense of identity is strongly tied to various landmarks for the worse or the better is a relevant aspect of this collection and a reminder that while our environment may feel static and permanent, our minds and hearts are in a constant state of change and growth.
$2,420.00
Ink, acrylic, natural-dyed linen, palo santo on raw canvas.
44x44"
Inspired by Allie Michelle’s original poem, A Poem for My Ancestors, this piece focuses on the sentiment behind the following lines: “I felt generations of women who were the invisible hands weaving their husbands dreams/ silently praying that one day they might get to live on their own.”
Using the imagery of basket-weaving that has shown up in the artist’s previous collection, Hold, the idea of women contributing to the successful futures of their husbands and partners appears to be another aspect of invisible “woman’s work” as the art of basket-weaving and other craft-based work historically falls to women, along with managing the family's schedule and maintaining the household. Women are known for having to walk a careful line between maintaining a home/work life balance that male counterparts don’t often have to experience.
The artist incorporated a basket weave pattern of 100% linen strips that were dyed in avocado skins in reference to the “woman’s work” of craft, home-making and cooking.
Both subtle and obvious messages taken from Allie Michelle’s poem are scrawled across these linen strips ("generations of women who were the invisible hands, weaving their husbands dreams, silently praying that one day they might get to live on their own") to reference the often quiet, desperate whispers and cries uttered by our women ancestors to one another.
These woven ribbons begin to loosen, ripple and fall apart as they culminate at the center of the canvas in reference to the new generation of independent women who no longer find themselves in the same positions of having to support their partners (either because they’re unwed and single, or because they find themselves in supportive and balanced partnership) and instead, are now able to weave the patterns of their own dreams.
Despite the empowering message behind Allie Michelle’s words, there’s an undertone of sadness in the way she acknowledges her current state of independence is entirely owed to the generations of women who came before her who sacrificed their own dreams for the benefit of their families. Imagery of candles with flames that appear to have been snuffed out with heavy smoke (created with palo santo) pay homage to the women who sacrificed so much.
Splashes of blue suggest the turmoil (and eventual triumph) our women ancestors endured while trying to hold onto themselves while also being in service to their families. The new generation of women Allie Michelle references have the privilege and opportunity to live life on their own terms, with or without a family, because now they have a choice.
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The VOICES (That’s What She Said) collection is a celebration of the way women have used their words and voices to empower themselves and others.
$1,250.00
Acrylic on birch wood board.
36x24"
Inspired by the poem Black Girl Fly by professor, playwright and author, Funmilola Fagbamila, this text-heavy piece is intended to resemble a word cloud, except every single word spoken by the poet and author is of equal importance, and after listening to this poem for the first time, the artist found every word hung in the air with intense poignancy.
The artist wanted to communicate this feeling to the viewer by capturing the entirety of this inspirational message intended to uplift young black girls in a way that communicates the rhythm and musicality in which Funmilola Fagbamila narrates it through a balance of varying words, typefaces and colours that work together in harmony.
The natural finish of the wood board is incorporated into this piece in an attempt to suggest that the message behind this poetry makes sense in its purest and natural form - why wouldn’t a young black girl feel capable of achieving the levels of success the author speaks about when it seems like such an obvious opportunity, and yet, the lack of equality and opportunities across marginalized and minority groups creates an additional barrier for BIPOC girls and women to overcome. It should be easy, equality should come as naturally as the words that flow from Funmilola Fagbamila's lips and land on the surface of this piece naturally and easily.
This piece serves as a reminder to all girls, especially young black girls, that she can, and she will, especially under the guidance and influence of powerful women like Funmilola Fagbamila reminding us all what we’re capable of.
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The VOICES (That’s What She Said) collection is a celebration of the way women have used their words and voices to empower themselves and others.
$1,900.00
Spray paint on raw canvas.
36x40"
Inspired by the voice of Her Excellency Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and her words from the TedWomen’s stage in 2019 about how women will lead us to freedom, justice and peace, this piece makes a bold, unapologetic statement about how representation of women in professional roles is important.
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was the first woman president of an African nation (Liberia) and continues to be a change-maker in her community - the ripple effect of her advocating for women to be included in positions of power has been celebrated world-wide.
This piece is the only one in the VOICES collection that highlights a single quote from an entire monologue, “Once the glass ceiling has been broken, it can never be put back together”, and has been communicated in large, bold, stencils on canvas in which letters from words spill from one line onto the next to encourage this sentence to be read aloud without pause.
The artist includes stencil imperfections and crooked edges as a reminder that moving forward and making changes is a clumsy and imperfect process that calls for transparency and resilience. Some letters appear upside down, crooked, overlapping with others…but despite these imperfections, the message is still received loud and clear.
The following quote from her speech struck the artists as particularly poignant: “I had my fair shares of criticism and toxicity. Nobody is perfect. But there's nothing more predictable than a strong woman who wants to change things, who's brave to speak out, who's bold in action…” Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s voice has reminded us all that with courage, persistence, and the dismissal of the ego, real change is possible.
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The VOICES (That’s What She Said) collection is a celebration of the way women have used their words and voices to empower themselves and others.
$599.00
Acrylic, ink, spray paint, pencil on birch wood board.
16x20"
Inspired by the powerful words and live performance of Katie Makkai’s poem, Pretty, the artist created two pieces on wood panel drawing parallels between the medium’s solid exterior and the “hard truth” the author shares about women and physical appearances.
For this piece, Katie Makkai's entire poem was transcribed by hand in the artist’s penmanship as a way referencing how the same sentiments Makkai shares could easily have been her own thoughts one might find in the artist's journal. Makkai uses her voice in a compelling, theatrical way to address how at a young age she learned that the most important thing about herself was her appearance, and how her mother’s on-going efforts to doctor her appearance to make her more conventionally attractive left Katie wondering what her “real” face would have looked like.
The artist references the author’s aspirations for “physical perfection” by scribbling, re-writing, painting, crossing-out, hiding, revealing, highlighting and re-writing words from her poem to symbolize that despite the quest for perfection, a mess was made. There is a painful vulnerability in Makkai’s compelling delivery in which she admits that despite her mother having paid for physical adjustments to her daughter’s nose, teeth and overall appearance, an entanglement of emotions and overall sense of being "not-enough" remains; there's a deep feeling of being unwell despite having a flawless physical appearance.
The focal point of this piece remains the slightly obscured yet legible word “face” as the artist attempts to highlight that for many women, their most prioritized characteristic is the face (and their appearance in general) but there is little consideration given to the “messy” emotional impact that maintaining a perfect appearance that is intended to please others has on a woman’s psyche.
_____________________
The VOICES (That’s What She Said) collection is a celebration of the way women have used their words and voices to empower themselves and others.
$599.00
Acrylic, ink, spray paint, pencil on wood board.
16x20"
Inspired by the powerful words and live performance of Katie Makkai’s poem, Pretty, the artist created two pieces on wood panel drawing parallels between the medium’s solid exterior and the “hard truth” the author shares about women and physical appearances.
For this piece, Katie Makkai's entire poem was transcribed by hand in the artist’s penmanship as a way referencing how the same sentiments Makkai shares could easily have been her own thoughts one might find in the artist's journal. Makkai uses her voice in a compelling, theatrical way to address how at a young age she learned that the most important thing about herself was her appearance, and how her mother’s on-going efforts to doctor her appearance to make her more conventionally attractive left Katie wondering what her “real” face would have looked like.
The artist references the author’s aspirations for “physical perfection” by scribbling, re-writing, painting, crossing-out, hiding, revealing, highlighting and re-writing words from her poem to symbolize that despite the quest for perfection, a mess was made. There is a painful vulnerability in Makkai’s compelling delivery in which she admits that despite her mother having paid for physical adjustments to her daughter’s nose, teeth and overall appearance, an entanglement of emotions and overall sense of being "not-enough" remains; there's a deep feeling of being unwell despite having a flawless physical appearance.
The focal point of this piece remains the slightly obscured yet legible word “face” as the artist attempts to highlight that for many women, their most prioritized characteristic is the face (and their appearance in general) but there is little consideration given to the “messy” emotional impact that maintaining a perfect appearance that is intended to please others has on a woman’s psyche.
__________
The VOICES (That’s What She Said) collection is a celebration of the way women have used their words and voices to empower themselves and others.
$1,900.00
Spray paint, ink, acrylic on raw canvas.
36x40"
Inspired by the voice and powerful words of Yesika Salgado, this piece is a celebration of the complicated and important relationship a woman has with herself. In reference to Salgado’s poem called Corazón Heals Herself, the prominent image of a large heart is the focal point of this piece. In other videos, Salgado explains that while the word corazón means heart in Spanish, it’s also a term of endearment meant to identify herself. This inspiring way of looking at oneself as one’s own heart prompted the artist to wonder what it would be like to imagine our own souls being directly linked to our most vital life-giving organ - the idea that we would cease to exist without our beating heart from a practical perspective but also that we may cease to love unless we're able to truly love ourselves.
Surrounded by the words “you” and “love”, the heart imagery in this piece is overwhelming, bold, bright and loud as the artist drives home the message that the viewer is his/her/their own love, and that the love we have for ourselves sets the pace at which we live our lives and dictates whether or not we’re able to receive love from others or able to give it freely.
The smaller images of heart-shaped grenades are copies of the artist’s early illustration work, Love Is A Battlefield, originally intended to represent the fear and danger that comes with giving one’s heart away, but has now been repurposed in this painting to represent how a lack of love for oneself is destructive.
This painting is a reminder to viewers that we are our greatest loves, and that the rejection and pain caused by others is unpleasant and unwanted, but at the end of the day, we walk through this life on our own, with our own hearts, and the way we speak to ourselves and show up for ourselves can be damaging or it can be expansive, empowering and joyful.
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The VOICES (That’s What She Said) collection is a celebration of the way women have used their words and voices to empower themselves and others.
$1,900.00
Flashe, spray paint, ink, colored pencil, pressed leaves on canvas.
36x40"
She whispers promises to HerSelf when she’s in the garden. Her quiet words fall gently onto the blooms as she turns the soil.
The breeze carries her intentions off to every corner of her oasis, and the “I love you’s” and the “I’ll never leave you’s” brush up against the leaves until they tumble down and come to rest on the earth.
She plucks the weeds of doubt, uses her whispers of love to silence the fears. There’s only room for hope to grow in the garden of her heart.
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The Mess Collection features a visual mapping of emotions, specifically the celebration of joy, surrender and peace that results from having endured the grieving process as depicted through abstract expressionism and florals.
Abstracted flower imagery along with the use of real pressed botanicals from the artist’s garden can be seen throughout this series as LaCaria explores the paradoxical symbolism behind flowers and how they’re exchanged at both time of celebration and mourning.
The floral elements draw parallels between the impermanence of seasons and life chapters, the ebb and flow of time and the ephemerality of emotions. The artist aims to evoke a nostalgia in the viewer by prompting the recollection of a memory in which flowers were present, for better or for worse.
LaCaria uses bold swatches of colour reminiscent of bouquets and garden beds along with heavy line work symbolic of the written words of eulogies, lost conversations and past self-talk. These expressive elements come together to communicate a visual mapping of the emotional cycles that accompany grief as one moves forward into a state of joy by paying respect to the past self that was left behind.
The resulting collection as a whole features compositions that embody a sense of ascension and levity as emotions appear to lighten and soften towards the upper parts of the canvas; or feature focal points of nothingness through the use of heavy negative space - an intentional commentary on the revelation that comes from the process of surrender, acceptance and the rebirth of the Self.