Today we’d like to introduce you to Tiara King.
Hi Tiara, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
In a creative landscape that often tells creators to pick a single lane, I have chosen to build a three-lane highway. By splitting my time as an elementary school art teacher, a creative studio owner, and a public muralist, I am proving that community impact, childhood education, and entrepreneurship don’t just coexist—they fuel one another.
Personally, art has always been a survival mechanism. When the pandemic hit, that urge toward expression led me to painting, and eventually a teaching gig at a local art studio. But I soon felt the suffocating limits of rigid, commercial art instruction. Driven by a vision of true creative inclusivity, I stepped away to build my own studio—a judgment-free space designed for every skill level, dedicated to the raw power of therapeutic expression.
While working with children, I developed a great passion for nurturing young artists natural talents. To them, I am not a business owner or a professional muralist— I am the teacher who shows them how to mix primary colors and turn mistakes into masterpieces. They create just for the joy of it. Teaching reminds me why I fell in love with art in the first place. It keeps my own studio practice honest. The creative problem-solving required to keep twenty-five third-graders focused translates directly into the patience needed for complex client projects.
In the meantime, I found myself looking back at the neighborhoods that shaped me. Driven by a deep desire to give back to the communities where I grew up, I stepped out of the studio and classroom and began mural work. I wanted the kids growing up there today to look at their neighborhood and see beauty, color, and a reflection of their own potential.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The journey has not always been smoothly paved. One of the biggest challenges- the balancing act of catering to a diverse range of human experiences. There are days when I feel like a chameleon changing colors every two hours. The mural work gives me professional credibility, the studio gives me business acumen, and the kids give me pure, unadulterated inspiration.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
As a creator and studio owner, I specialize in process-based art. Unlike traditional studios that focus heavily on technical perfection or replicating a single sample image, my specialization lies in intuitive creation. I create that allow individuals to bypass their inner critics and tap into art as an emotional outlet.
People don’t just come to my studio to learn how to mix colors; they come because they know it is a safe sanctuary where there is no “wrong” way to create.
I am incredibly proud of building a space where a rigid perfectionist can accidentally spill paint on their canvas, take a deep breath, and realize it actually made the piece better. I am proud of seeing someone walk in visibly carrying the heavy static of a stressful week and walk out lighter, grounded, and reconnected to themselves.
Many commercial studios offer entertainment—a fun night out with a paint-by-numbers blueprint. Fine art institutions often offer rigid, intimidating technique. Art and Soul Studio is firmly and beautifully in the middle. We focus on the fun, uninhibited process rather than the final product. We cater to every skill level simultaneously because we remove the hierarchy of skill altogether. A seasoned professional artist and a complete beginner can sit at the same table, utilizing the exact same materials, and both find a sense of belonging.
Additionally, I am an elementary school art teacher and community muralist.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
A am always looking to collaborate with fellow creatives, mental health advocates, and community leaders who believe in the healing power of the arts.
To book a session, discuss a collaborative project, or simply support our mission, drop us a line:
website- artandsoulstudiopgh.com
email- artandsoulstudiopgh@gmail.com
Facebook- Art and Soul Studio
phone- 412-443-0507
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.artandsoulstudiopgh.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/artandsoulstudiopgh/
- Other: artandsoulstudiopgh@gmail.com
