Tonia Lee Royston

ARTIST STATEMENT

Inspired by both my family’s creativity and the natural world around me, I have always seen nature as a series of puzzle pieces—each fitting together in perfect synchronicity, whether it’s a rock, a plant, a leaf, or the line of the surf. I feel that my artistic purpose is to put these shapes together with various mediums, as nature might have intended. I don’t work in realism; I create from memory in an abstract way, bringing together the colors and forms of the natural world.

In my opinion, there’s no such thing as a mistake in the creation of art. To me, a so-called “mistake” is simply another opportunity to create something different and embark on a creative adventure.

Biography

As a native Californian, I grew up in Marin County surrounded by nature and had many opportunities to walk, take it in, and breathe it daily. I was also fortunate to be raised in a family of recognized artists: my father, Robert N. Royston (landscape architect); my mother, Evelyn Royston (dress designer); my sister, Michel Royston (jeweler); and my brother, Curtis Royston (abstract painter). Their creativity and innovative ideas were constant inspiration.

In the early 1970’s I studied the techniques of weaving with Ida Grae in Mill Valley, CA. After receiving my BA in music, I moved to New York where I continued my voice instruction and performed in many of the city’s club venues. I also trained as a pastry chef at Peter Kump’s New York Cooking School (now the Institute of Culinary Education). Then in the 1990’s after opening my bakery back in Oakland, CA I received mosaic instruction with Edith Heath in Sausalito, CA. This creative path has shaped who I am as an artist today.

My latest body of work began during the Covid-19 pandemic. My abstract mixed-media collages on paper embody wondrous landscapes of shapes and colors and employ paint, colored pen, and other objects, including antique lace, fabric, brass and copper sheet metal.