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Tanía Michelle Wineglass:

A Tapestry of Artistic Expression

 

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With a dynamic artistic journey spanning more than 30 years, Tanía Michelle Wineglass has established herself as a multidisciplinary visual artist whose work explores storytelling, healing, identity, and cultural memory. Based in Indianapolis, Tanía has exhibited throughout the Midwest and beyond, with her work presented at distinguished institutions including the Newfields: Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indiana State Museum, Eiteljorg Museum, and Museum of Science and Industry, as well as universities, galleries, and cultural organizations across Indiana and New York.

Tanía’s artistic practice centers on painting and mixed media, incorporating ceramics, quilting, metalworking, jewelry, and found materials to create layered narratives. Working primarily in series, she examines themes of resilience, transformation, ancestry, and representation, with a particular focus on the experiences and contributions of African American women. Her work challenges traditional narratives by creating spaces where overlooked histories, personal stories, and imagined futures can coexist.

Deeply inspired by Mari Evans’ poem “I Am a Black Woman,” Tanía has carried its message of strength, complexity, and self-definition throughout her career. Portraiture remains a foundation of her practice, but her visual language has expanded into symbolic and emotional storytelling. Her acclaimed My Healing Heart series uses anatomical hearts as metaphors for vulnerability, restoration, and collective healing, reflecting her own journey of transforming personal experiences into works that encourage connection and empowerment.

In 2023, Tanía presented her landmark solo exhibition Matters of the Heart at the Thyen-Clark Cultural Arts Center, featuring three major bodies of work: Legacy, My Healing Heart, and AfroPunk. The exhibition represented a culmination of decades of artistic exploration and highlighted her ability to weave together portraiture, cultural history, and personal narrative. Her work has since continued to be exhibited in solo and group exhibitions at venues including Newfields: Indianapolis Museum of Art, The Eiteljorg Museum, The Indiana State Museum,  the NCAA Headquarters, Kente Royal Gallery in Harlem NewYork, Fishers Arts Council, and the Garfield Park Arts Center.

Beyond the gallery setting, Tanía has expanded her practice through public art, illustration, education, and community engagement. She has created murals throughout Indianapolis, illustrated children’s books, completed hundreds of commissioned works held in private, corporate, and public collections, and curated exhibitions that amplify diverse artistic voices. She co-curated The Color of Clay, hosted by Brickyard Ceramics in the American Art and Clay Company Gallery, further demonstrating her commitment to supporting and celebrating contemporary artists.

Tanía holds a Master of Arts degree from the University of Indianapolis, with a concentration in ceramics and painting, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art Education from the Herron School of Art, with minors in painting, metalworking, French, musical performance and art history. She began her academic studies at the University of Evansville, and finishing her degree in Art Education and Ceramics at Herron School of Art.

Her honors include being named a 2026 Guggenheim Fellowship finalist, receiving the 2024 Power Plant Grant from Big Car Collaborative funded by the Andy Warhol Foundation, and earning the 2022 Indiana Arts Commission On-Ramp Fellowship. She has also received recognition through numerous juried exhibitions and has been featured by media outlets including Fox59, Fishers Arts Council, Dubois County Free Press, Art & Prayer, Streaming and Classical Beat.

A dedicated educator and advocate for arts access, Tanía has shared her work through lectures, workshops, and presentations at institutions including Newfields, Marian University, Indiana University Indianapolis, numerous schools and community organizations. Her practice is guided by the belief that art has the power to preserve history, foster healing, and create meaningful connections.

Through her continued exploration of culture, identity, and resilience, Tanía Michelle Wineglass uses her voice and vision to honor the stories of Black women and expand the possibilities of contemporary storytelling.