Tania Aliis Hyde (nee Lapidge, 2003) has forged a career as a successful professional artist, the basis of which can be traced back, in part, to her time studying art at Concordia College. Her mixed media canvas works and prints have now been stocked in various shops across South Australia and she also runs a popular online store. The pros and pitfalls of being an artist, particularly while also raising two young boys, are not without their challenges, but there’s rarely a time when she’s not experimenting with different colours, materials and application techniques in search of the next great piece or collection.
What are some defining memories of your time at Concordia?
I went on an art camp up to Alice Springs when I was in Year 11 at Concordia College, which, still to this day, is one of the best trips I’ve ever been on. Seeing the Aboriginal artworks and hearing stories from some of the artists was an incredible experience. I think I can truly say it was one of the most critical moments in me becoming an artist. Not only did it further my passion for art, but it was an amazing trip to share with friends from my art class, who remain some of my closest friends.
What advice would you offer current students?
Follow your passion and don’t feel like you need to fit into a mould. Thankfully, secondary education has diversified a lot over the past 20 years and it’s not like everyone has to try and fit into a category of being a lawyer, a doctor or an engineer. There are so many career pathways out there now, including for the arts, trades and emerging industries such as space and defence. Students should follow their heart, pick the subjects that best align with their desired profession and work hard to give them the best chance of success. It doesn’t need to be all work though! My school years are some of my most memorable of my life because of the awesome friendships I forged and the fun we had. Never forget this part too.
What motivates and inspires you?
I’ve always had an obsession with colour, which was sparked from a young age because I was regularly surrounded by prints from famous artists or original works at the picture framing business that my parents run. That is what originally inspired me to paint and experiment. These days, a lot of my inspiration for my painting comes from landscapes and their colour combinations. We’ve done a lot of travel around Australia and many of my canvas works are abstract depictions of the amazing landscapes we’ve seen and the colours they hold. I’m also inspired every day by our two beautiful boys, Oliver, 5, and Ari, 2.
