Meet Lindsay Tyler

We were lucky to catch up with Lindsay Tyler recently and have shared our conversation below.

Lindsay, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?

My resilience comes from the experience of grief, chronic pain, creative setbacks and the challenges of building an art career from the ground up. Through it all, art has been my anchor. Creating helps me process what I can’t always put into words. I draw strength from nature, in waterways and wild spaces and from the belief that meaningful work finds its place, even if it takes time. Resilience, to me, means showing up anyway, especially when it would be easier not to.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I’m a Michigan-based visual artist working primarily in acrylic and mixed media, blending fluid art techniques with traditional brushwork to explore themes of nature, memory, and emotional undercurrents. Much of my work is inspired by Michigan’s waterways, wildlife, and landmarks. I paint everything from windswept cliffs and lighthouses to fish that have slipped off the line, both literally and metaphorically. I also create bold, colorful abstract pieces that lean into emotion, movement, and layered texture.

What excites me most is creating work that resonates emotionally while honoring the landscapes and experiences that shape me. My paintings are layered, sometimes physically, sometimes metaphorically, capturing both movement and stillness, clarity and complexity. I want viewers to feel something, even if they can’t explain why.

Beyond painting, I also create burned hats, jewelry from paint cast-off, and prints. I am always looking for ways to make meaningful art accessible. Recently, I’ve been developing a new body of work that dives deeper into personal storytelling and emotional themes, and I’m preparing for ArtPrize 2025 where I’ll be exhibiting a piece exploring grief entitled Wilt.

Professionally, I’m focused on growing my collector base, expanding into more national exhibitions, and developing limited run collections. My hope is to continue building a career that’s sustainable, honest, and creatively fulfilling while connecting with others through shared stories, color, and place.

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?

Looking back, three qualities that have been most impactful in my journey are persistence, adaptability, and self awareness. Persistence has carried me through rejection, slow seasons, and the emotional ups and downs that come with making and sharing personal work. Adaptability has allowed me to grow, whether it’s experimenting with new mediums, trying different exhibition formats, or shifting how I market my art. And self awareness has helped me stay grounded in my own voice, rather than chasing trends or comparing myself to others. For anyone just starting out, my advice is to show up consistently, stay open to change, and take time to understand what matters most to you.

What’s been one of your main areas of growth this year?

Over the past 12 months, my biggest area of growth has been confidence both in my creative voice and in how I present my work professionally. I’ve become more intentional about the opportunities I pursue, more selective with where I exhibit, and more assertive in advocating for the value of my art. This past year, I was invited to join Covet Art Gallery’s curated online sales platform, won a People’s Choice Award, and was selected to exhibit at ArtPrize 2025 and the Muskegon Museum of Art. I’ve also started developing more personal, emotionally-driven work and have seen that vulnerability resonate with audiences. Trusting my instincts both creatively and professionally has been a game-changer.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.artbylindsaytyler.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artbylindsaytyler/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/artbylindsaytyler

Image Credits

Lindsay Tyler