Tamara received a B.F.A in ceramics from the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University in 1994. She then received an M.A. with a specialization in Museum Education and M.A.T. certification in K-12 arts education from The Rhode Island School of Design in 2000. During the years between schooling, Tamara worked as a production supervisor at a tile factory in New Jersey and a studio assistant at two production pottery studios in New Hampshire. She was subcontracted by Miotto Mosaics to create 6’ x 3’ mosaic panels for Canal Street Station, NYC. Tamara also spent time working in her studio and teaching adults and kids how to throw pots.

In 1998, Tamara started working with various Providence communities as a graduate candidate at RISD. Her graduate thesis was an in-depth look into how art museums can access new audiences by engaging teaching artists to develop work in communities not usually engaged in museum visits. This work led her to the position of  Program Director at New Urban Arts, then a three-year-old grassroots arts organization. Since then, Tamara has worked to provide Providence high school students with a safe and non-judgmental space in the out-of-school time to make art while developing caring relationships with adults and a creative practice they can sustain throughout their lives. After spending seven months as the Interim Executive Director, Tamara now serves as the Operations Manager.

These days, she works in letterpress, paper, sewing, prints, and words. Her twin daughters inspire her daily.

tamara@newurbanarts.org