Tonya Cruz

I was born and raised in Barbados, a very beautiful and tiny island in the Caribbean. My childhood home was like a life-sized sketch book where I could experiment freely. As a child I doodled flowers on my bedsheets, painted a mural on my bedroom ...

I was born and raised in Barbados, a very beautiful and tiny island in the Caribbean. My childhood home was like a life-sized sketch book where I could experiment freely. As a child I doodled flowers on my bedsheets, painted a mural on my bedroom door and rearranged my parents’ home decor - often in the middle of the night when the itch for creativity struck! My parents always encouraged my creativity. From that young age I was aware that my environment had a direct impact on mood and behaviour. Becoming a mother has been the more rewarding and challenging thing I've ever done, and I am eternally grateful for the way it has shaped me. Thank you boys. Now, after a decade of quiet reflection and personal unraveling, I am emerging with a heart and soul renewed. Once called a “grave yard of paintings” my studio is now flourishing with life! I am eternally grateful for the lessons of surrender, faith and hope that I have learnt here. My passion now is to help others see the beauty that surrounds them, to inspire a quiet, heartfelt gratitude that can be expressed in their own way. This is my journey—one of renewal, surrender, and an ever-deepening love for the art that has shaped my life.