Tamara Natalie Madden facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tamara Natalie Madden
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| Born | 16 August 1975 |
| Died | (aged 42) |
| Nationality | Jamaican |
| Known for | Painting, mixed media |
Tamara Natalie Madden (born August 16, 1975 – died November 4, 2017) was a talented artist. She was born in Jamaica and later lived in the United States. Tamara was known for her beautiful paintings and mixed media art. Her artworks often told stories about people from the African diaspora.
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Early Life and Art Journey
Tamara Madden was born in St. Andrew, Jamaica. She moved to America permanently when she was a teenager. She studied at several universities, including the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee.
In 1997, Tamara became very ill. While she was recovering, she rediscovered her love for art. Art helped her feel better emotionally. Because of this, she decided to focus on art even more. In 2001, she received a kidney transplant from her brother. That same year, she had her first art show. Her first solo exhibition was in 2004. This show led to an interview with a famous writer, James Auer.
Artistic Career and Style
After her solo show in 2004, Tamara Madden moved near Atlanta, Georgia. There, she met two important mentors, Charly "Carlos" Palmer and WAK (Kevin A Williams).
Tamara created art based on her memories of people from Jamaica. She often dressed them in fancy fabrics like raw silks and colorful satins. These fabrics looked like clothes worn by royalty. Birds were also a common symbol in her paintings. They represented her freedom from illness.
Tamara's art was influenced by many things. These included artist Gustav Klimt, African royalty, and the clothing of African and Indian women. She wanted to paint images that showed the people of the African diaspora. This term refers to people of African origin living around the world.
One art critic said that Tamara's art was similar to Gustav Klimt's. She dressed her figures in bold, patterned clothes. These clothes reminded people of homemade art for everyone. Her use of rich colors and gold made her subjects look special and important.
Where You Can See Her Art
Several of Tamara's artworks are in the collections of Vanderbilt University in Tennessee. Her art is also at Alverno College in Milwaukee. You can also find her work at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit.
Her art show at Syracuse University in New York received great reviews. Tamara's paintings have been shown in many publications. These include The New York Times, The Huffington Post, and Upscale Magazine. In 2014, MSNBC's The Grio named her one of 40 black artists to watch.
Exhibitions and Recognition
Tamara Madden's solo exhibition at the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust was very popular. The show was called Out of Many, One. This is the motto of Jamaica. She wanted to change how people viewed Jamaica and its people. Critics noted how she showed poor and overlooked people as regal figures. Her work was also featured at Art Basel Miami.
Personal Life and Legacy
Tamara Madden lived and worked in the Atlanta area. She was also a fine art professor at Spelman College.
Tamara passed away on November 4, 2017. She had one daughter. Her younger brother, Woolie Madden Jr., is a popular online streamer and podcaster. He honored his sister's memory by getting a tattoo based on her art.
