Meet Patricia Tiffany Morris

We recently connected with Patricia Tiffany Morris and have shared our conversation below.

Patricia Tiffany, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?

A: I learned at a young age I was different. I loved school and all the activities outside of the home. It was there I immersed myself in academics, the arts, and the sciences. Apparently, I was one of few students who excelled in both the arts and science. My favorite studies involved both math and creativity. I won awards in math, science, engineering, woodworking, and poetry and art. Mechanical drafting and physics classes had an entirely different group of kids than my ballet and drama and creative writing classes. But in both areas, I didn’t mind that I was successful. But I found relationships challenging. Not fitting into a box mattered until I went to Iowa State University.

I came to a crossroads on my walk/run from engineering class to my dance studio choreography class clear across campus. If I didn’t run, I would miss the first five minutes of either class.

My skirt swung over the top edges of my cowboy boots during each path. I was faced with a decision, but I didn’t want to give up either discipline. Engineering or dance? Did I want to study the tensile strength of metals in a lab all my life and receive a full-ride scholarship? Or did I want to find a major that allowed for a dance minor and a career in the sciences?

After much contemplation, I wouldn’t have to give up either avenue of my skill sets and personality. I switched my major to architecture and signed up for additional arts courses to attempt a minor in dance.

I recently purchased a pair of teal and brown cowboy boots that match my business branding colors. I wear them fondly to embrace my geeky nature and wear them with skirts like I did in college. Today, I don’t mind that I’m the only one in the room with words on my scarf, branding cowboy boots, and writing poetry on ZOOM with friends complete with a different background of some of my projects and art behind me.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

A: I claim the tagline of “an eclectic artist and writer with a geeky tech affinity.”

I suppose the positive aspect of my brand, is that I love switching from art and learning digital illustration, to font design, then to writing a poem or creating a new structured poetry form. Currently I’m working on a split time suspense novel with a neurodivergent 15 year old main character. I’ve also embraced the geeky tech side of me and started a time travel novel based on Pride and Prejudice. I love writing short fiction and poetry.

And I have developed a children’s story about grief and plan to self-publish or hybrid publish through a Kickstarter campaign in 2025. I used my custom hand lettered font.

In the interim, I answered a call from a fellow writer who wants a tutorial on how to upload a manuscript to KDP. I adore helping others with software problem-solving with Scrivener or Plottr or simply brainstorming solutions to ideas and problems.

I love what I do. Although I feel disorganized and stressed when my 60-something body and mind remind me I need to plan time to sleep.

I joined several Christian writing groups and am a member of a couple secular poetry societies since 2018. Two years ago I made the jump into the art world and signed up for Creative Powerhouse Society, Leverage Your Art course, and several other classes to learn digital illustration and font design. I’m overjoyed to have the opportunity and means to create cover art and map illustrations, as well as serve other writers and authors. What a great time to be alive.

I registered my business name, Tiffany Inks Studio LLC in January of 2021 and adopted the fictitious name, Patricia Tiffany Morris. I’ve always signed my work “Tiffany,” so the business branding fit the blend of artsy, writing, and tech services I offer. But one part of the branding and business identity I struggle with is choosing a focus. Is it still okay to be a renaissance woman in the 2020s? Can eclectic creatives like me find work when I have such a wide variety of services?

We all need hope and success even in small ways. If I can be that avenue for someone else, I am honored. And all the lost sleep, worry, and second thoughts or self-doubt evaporates.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

A: First: Because I have a science, mathematics, and engineering mindset and training, I have the ability to solve problems, brainstorm, and get things done. Research is everyone’s friend and teacher or a struggle. But taking the next step to apply the knowledge after researching is where I find my most compelling adventures.

Second: My visual and special abilities help me create vision along my journey. I innovate and invent from words and illustrations. Taking an abstract idea and making it useful is my superpower. Taking an abstract thought and expressing it in concrete visceral terms is more difficult for me, but I’m learning through poetry and prose how to help people see with words what my mind envisions in story and fiction.

Third: My willingness to continue learning the “how-to’s” of a project. I am currently learning how to set up a Kickstarter campaign from scratch in order to fund a writing project that I would like to share with children and families dealing with grief in the death of a parent. If I can teach myself, or learn from another professional, how to wrangle the aspects of this project, I’ll be situated to help others self-publish their stories.

In the early stages of your creative bold, journey, remind yourself to be kind to your small steps and treasure progress of any kind. All the baby steps are important milestones in the grand adventure. Don’t forget to celebrate even the steps backward as they lead to greater direction and clearer focus on what comes next. Be present in the now. And find ways to be grateful in any and every situation. Knowing that the Grand Architect and Creator of the Universe loves you and wants you to know that is paramount to your joy in the journey no matter what level or step you are at.

What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?

A1: On the anniversary of my mother’s death and birth this month, I remember her most vividly during my “cowboy boots running marathons” across the campus on the day I learned of her death. I was wearing those boots. I still hear them in the empty hallway of the University’s Engineering Hall as followed the messenger of Mom’s hospitalization. During finals week I never imagined she was as ill as she was.

My mother never complained. I wish I could say that was my legacy. But she held me when I couldn’t understand why I was different. When I didn’t understand why other kids laughed at me in my mom’s hand-sewn clothes or teased me when I couldn’t find the volume for a class speech. But she encouraged me to try many things. Debate, drama, woodworking, and even ballet for the first time in eleventh grade.

I won the lead in the senior high play and found a new voice. I danced with a professional troupe in Australia and designed a school for the deaf in my foreign exchange architectural program. And my mom lived long enough to accept Jesus and become baptized even after she lost her eyesight and both legs at the knees. And I learned how strong I could be if I tried, even if I failed. We must have hope, like she did, when all the odds were against life, she found love in the rain and learned to dance through me.

The greatest growth I’ve seen in myself in the past 12 months is my desire and understanding that I need to be kind to myself and get enough sleep. I need to eat well, even though that means an incredibly restrictive list of foods. And I need to ask for help even if I can do something on my own.

I can’t wait to face another challenge and see my book called “Grief Like Rain” published and find fellow creatives who want to help me see this journey of hope find its home to others who need this message in 2025.

Here are two more question/answers for your readers:

Q2: What is the number one obstacle or challenge you currently face and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge.

A2: Only one? As I read through the questions, I am adding an extra question even now from the “closing question” singular—drop down.

The primary challenge this year is to realize the publication of a children’s book. I am working on the illustrations, but other priorities and obstacles as well as client work creep into my drawing time.

I also need to learn the platform at Kickstarter and do things well in order to be funded so I can publish my story. I’m meeting with potential endorsers and connecting with resource agencies to add to a list at the back of the book for those needing additional counseling on grief. This is difficult for me to ask for help for myself. I’d like to be bold and ask for your readers/listeners prayers. For finances, favor with endorsers and counselors, (I’m doing a Christian market version and a general market version), and to believe that I can do this and still dust and keep laundry and my house clean.

Praise the Lord for a husband who in his retirement, cooks, does laundry, invents gadgets to make our lives easier, and writes poetry and watches sappy Hallmark movies with me. He even watches documentaries and YouTube videos as I research my next story. But somehow, I need to believe that success is within reach.
Maybe I’ll be able to hire a tax and accounting professional one day.

Q & A 3: If I had to choose a focus, I imagine I would feel a part of me was lacking or inadequately using my gifts and abilities. But if I can help others and find joy in writing stories and sharing messages of hope, it is all worth it. Although I might need to have someone manage my taxes, shipping duties, and insist that I sleep more than 3-4 hours a night.

Q & A 4: An ideal client would be one who needs and wants a collection of artsy and tech services. One who values the big picture but who appreciates the detailed attention to all the parts of a project. I like creating business identity from colors, shapes, style and creating a logo, choosing fonts for websites, and designing flexible graphics, advertising products as well as helping the client be self-sustaining. I work myself out of a job, but then they can do more themselves and feel good about tackling technology.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

NA. Photos taken by me or for me.

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