04 Sep Market Artist Highlight: Tiphiknee DeHerrera – Booth #556
Some artists find their calling later in life, but for Tiphiknee, the spark appeared early, long before she could have imagined where it would lead. Her work today, filled with surreal symbols and striking contrasts, carries the depth of someone who has spent years not only honing her craft but also learning to translate the complexity of human experience into paint. Her journey is one of resilience, community, and a willingness to explore both the shadows and the light.
When Tiphiknee was just eight years old, her second-grade teacher held up one of her drawings during a parent-teacher conference and told her mom, “I think she could be a real artist one day.” That simple moment planted a seed…
Years later, in high school, it began to bloom under the guidance of art teacher Julie Bickle and through workshops with world-renowned tattooer and painter Jeff Gogué. Those experiences didn’t just shape her technical skill, they lit a fire that still fuels her today.
Now a predominantly oil painter, Tiphiknee is known for surreal, symbolic works that lean into the tension between darkness and light. Skeletons, sirens, serpents, and flora inhabit her canvases, serving as metaphors for transformation, resilience, and desire. “Art is my safe space to explore and metabolize the darker parts of myself,” she explains. “We all carry shadows, and through painting, I process mine. In doing so, I allow more of my light to shine.”
Her process is both intuitive and structured. Inspiration might spark from a dream, a friend willing to model, or even a single word prompt from AbstrACTION—the 300+ member art group she leads. From there, she builds references in Procreate before turning to her traditional toolkit: oil paint, mineral spirits, Liquin, and brushes of every size. Technical skill provides the foundation, but she sees creativity as the real heartbeat. “Once I’ve laid the foundation, composition, anatomy, color theory, I give myself permission to bend, distort, and experiment. That’s when the magic happens.”
Tiphiknee’s art is deeply personal yet universal. Every relationship, heartbreak, season of healing, and burst of joy has its place in her work. Lately, she’s been painting from a season of abundance and love. Something that vibrates from her newer pieces. She hopes viewers feel both seen and surprised when they encounter her art. “I want to remind people of the beauty in what is wild, untamed, and often overlooked,” she says.
Community plays a central role in her journey. Curating the annual AbstrACTION Art Show, which brings together 25+ local artists, remains one of her proudest accomplishments. So too does receiving the Greater Augusta Arts Council’s Visual Artist Award in 2025. But at the heart of it all, she values the connections; teaching oil painting classes, helping adults rediscover creativity, and making space for artists to experiment and grow.
Of course, the path hasn’t always been easy. Like many creatives, she’s battled self-doubt, financial insecurity, and burnout. Her resilience comes from leaning into community, prioritizing rest, and remembering that asking for help is part of success.
Looking ahead, Tiphiknee dreams of exploring new mediums and embracing work that feels freer, even messier. It’s less about perfection and more about soul. She encourages emerging artists to start where they are, to create and share without waiting for “perfect.” Her reminder is simple but powerful: “The voice telling you ‘I’m not an artist’ isn’t yours. The true voice says: My art is medicine for the world. Even if it feels silly or imperfect.”
When she isn’t painting, Tiphiknee often returns to another lifelong passion: dance. A dancer since childhood and a former choreographer, she still moves her body through yoga, lifting weights, or simply letting loose. Add in meditation, good conversations, and time with loved ones, and it’s easy to see how she stays grounded between projects.
In both her life and art, Tiphiknee is constantly dancing between shadows and light. And in doing so, she invites the rest of us to discover beauty in places we might not have thought to look.