K.W. – Hello, thank you for joining us today. Why don’t you introduce yourself for our readers and tell us about your works.
BH – Hi my name is Bre’Shawna Harris and I go by Ty Tea. I’m a bubbly upbeat person , that brings healing into any space she enters. A lot of people like to share their stories with me, and I like to try to give them a new light. My art reveals true stories, especially when it comes to the Black artform, I don’t like to water down the stories I try to tell. It’s like opening Pandora’s box — just enough to get people curious. So they are enticed enough to find out the meaning on their own.
K.W. – How did you get started? What inspired you?
BH – I’ve always been into art. Even when I was younger, teachers would enter me into art contests without me knowing. Art helped me through hard times — like going through shelters, my parents divorcing,and among other things that cause hardships. I would draw, write, sing as a form of self soothing. It was a way to process and stabilize myself . I started creating again during COVID, and I realized how deep this calling really is last year. Even when I don’t make a sale, I love how people connect with my work — it helps them heal. My work in a since become a new form of medicine for those who can’t speak or express themselves emotionally.
K.W. – Walk us through your design and creative process.
BH – I love research. I used to make silly cartoons or remix characters, but now I’m in a healing space. My current project is about the evolution of Black cinema — from Blackface to us finally telling our own stories. I think about what I want to show: the colors, the symbols, the feeling. Sometimes visions just come to me. And even if it doesn’t come out exactly how I imagined, I’m always amazed by what it becomes.
Upcoming Art Expo on 18th & Vine art Festival September 26-28 2025. Click on link for arts breakdown of artwork:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/exQsptWKarRsAy9F7
K.W. – Who or what inspires you?
BH – I don’t really idolize celebrities. I like people who are versatile — like Donald Glover. But mostly, my inspiration comes from my ancestors, my city, my journey. I found out creativity is mostly shaped by our environment, and the rest is 7% genetics. And that hit me — because I realized how our environments hold us back as a black community . Now I’m planting myself somewhere better, and I’m growing. Spiritually, mentally, artistically.
K.W. – What challenges do you face and how do you overcome them?
BH – ADHD and Depression. Even my environment sometimes. When I’m going through it, that’s usually when I create my best work. The colors in my art change depending on what I’m feeling. I used dark colors, angels, devils — all that to express my emotions. Sometimes just starting is hard, especially if I know the piece is going to bring up something deep. But I try to be my own cheerleader. I do my nails, I cook, I sing, I write — anything creative helps me stay in that energy . It’s about showing up, even if it’s messy.
K.W. – What’s your favorite artwork and why?
BH – I made this angel painting in 2022 — seraphim behind an angel the title is The Seer. It was when I started realizing I had spiritual gifts or my awakening. That piece really marked the beginning of my healing. I showed it at 18th & Vine Art Festival, and people connected with it deeply. I even got to show it at city hall when the festival was being honored by the city as a foundation. It was the start of something bigger for me.
K.W. – What upcoming projects are you excited about? And what are your long-term goals?
BH – I’m excited about the 18th & Vine Art Festival this year. I hope I can set up my tent better and present my art well. I’m nervous about how it’ll turn out, but I’m trying to stay focused and get everything ready by the 26th through the 28th of September. I want to do it all within my financial means.Since I don’t drive, I’ve been finding ways to move around the city and still show up to events. I got this traveling nail tech suitcase that comes with a table, drawers, a speaker — everything compact so I can travel by Uber or Lyft. I want to be part of First Fridays in the Crossroads, where artists show up at restaurants and venues to perform or display art and sale art. I’m also planning to apply for the 2026 Parade of Hearts. That year’s huge because of the World Cup. If I get selected, I’ll need space to paint the heart and figure out how to transport it. Long-term, I want to open a gallery — a Black collective space where artists like me can show their work and sell it and more. I might even go back to school to learn how to run a gallery.
https://dot.cards/ty_tea_artist
https://peggy.com/@TyTea_Artist?invite_code=BRE%E2%80%99SHAWNAHARRIS
https://throne.com/ty_tea
