Tina was born in Southern California in 1955, the year Disneyland opened and "I Love Lucy" was on every television.

In 1960, she and her family moved to Anchorage, Alaska, where she grew up surrounded by nature. The Alaskan woods were her playground, her world, and influenced her deep appreciation of trees, plants and creatures of all kinds.

Her appreciation for art started early allowing to put down on paper all the beauty she saw around her. Through all her school years, art was always her focus. Her goal was to be an art teacher.

In college she excelled in watercolor, drawing and illustration. After college, in her early 20s, she took a job as a draftsman and technical illustrator, which led to her career as a graphic artists. Hundreds of her illustrations have been used in a variety of publications; magazines, catalogs, brochures, packaging, newspaper ads, etc.

Realizing that graphic arts was not fulfilling her need to paint, she retired in 1993 and started studying watercolor and created a multitude of wonderful paintings. Returning to work, she took a position as an instructor, teaching watercolor and drawing to people of all ages.

The years spent as a draftsman, technical illustrator and graphic artist definitely show in her paintings, as she has a rather controlled approach to watercolor. It's hard to believe that her paintings are actually watercolor due to the detail and depth she is able to achieve with this medium.

Tina lived in Whittier, CA for 25 years. She served on the Whittier Art Association board and her work has been shown at the Whittier Art Association Gallery, the "Nixon Room" in the Whittier Library and is presently on display at the Blue Jay Gallery in the San Bernardino mountains.

Moving to Lake Arrowhead in June of 2001 has lead to her affiliation with two of the local galleries and to coordinating "Lake Arrowhead Celebrates Art" in 2002, allowing her to handle art from all over the world as well as art created by many of our talented local artists.

Teaching is still her goal and she presently teaches private lessons in her studio in Rimforest. Painting in her studio in the mountains of Lake Arrowhead, once again surrounded by nature.

"I love watercolor and each painting is an adventure for me." Tina Oertle