Trashcan Mural Project: Tessa De Voe

Artist Profile:

Born and bred in Massachusetts and a transplant to the PNW, Tessa is a children’s illustrator, muralist, and graphic designer. She cannot remember a time she didn’t have a marker in hand and a story in her head. Her love of old fables and folklore is what led her to a passion for illustration and making stories come to life. “I love the traditions and lessons that are passed down through stories, and I think they carry a lot of love, hope, and a tight-knit sense of community that connects generations.” She started drawing as soon as she could hold a pencil and quickly became known as the “art girl” among her peers. As a teen, she started writing and drawing silly little comics and zines and began taking more serious commissions from friends and family. At just 19 years old, with the encouragement of her mom and the local art association, she submitted for a mural commission at the local Kalama Library. That mural sent her down the path full of summers spent on ladders, music blasting, brush in hand, creative energy exploding all over the PNW. “I think I took the idea of ‘Romanticize your life’ a little too literally, and it has led me to an amazing town, full of incredible people, and a life full of color”. She is excited to see what the future holds and stands ready to meet it, pencil in hand.