Meet Tifa Holman of Phoenix

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tifa Holman.

Hi Tifa, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I grew up in Sugar City, a tiny Idaho town marked by a stone that reads, “Where sweet things grow.” There were no galleries, no artists to model a future after, and hardly any arts education. Still, from the beginning, I knew I was meant to be an artist. I didn’t have much, but I had an abundance of time and vast space to imagine. My imagination carried me everywhere beyond Sugar, and inspired a longing to find others who felt the same pull toward creation.
After high school, I earned my cosmetology license. I didn’t know how artists made money full time at that point, but I knew that trade would allow me to continue to create, be my strange character self (I have never been a fan of dress codes), and live anywhere and still have a job.
In time, I learned that life doesn’t offer a clear path. We often cast ourselves as the main character, chasing personal milestones, until we realize how small our individual stories are within the larger tapestry. When I widened my gaze, I understood that my life wasn’t just about my own trajectory, but about how I connect to the whole. From that moment, my purpose shifted toward helping art outlive me and ensuring others could find their way to their own creativity.
Since then, I’ve volunteered in art therapy, curated exhibitions, supported artists in making a living, continued my work behind the chair with a focus on celebrating individual beauty, I’ve taught, and participated in many community events. I spent years searching for a place to call home, only to discover it appears again and again, every time I am surrounded by other artists.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I’d like to speak to the person who believes life can be a smooth road. I spend a lot of time talking with people from all different walks of life, and it does not seem to come without challenges.
Beyond having too many interests and not enough hours in a day, I also carry my autoimmune disease with me. I was sick often as a kid—fevers that lasted for weeks, doctors with no answers. In my mid-twenties, I finally learned I had Crohn’s disease. By then, the symptoms had become severe enough that I understood how limited and precious time can be.
I’ve had a lot of ups and downs with this illness, but art has always stayed by my side. It’s shaped the way I move through life and influences almost every choice I make in tandem. Without the support of my friends, my family, and art, I don’t think I would have made it through it all.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a visual artist who, like many creatives, has a lot of interests. I’m a painter, a curator, and a cosmetologist.
My work as a painter often begins by writing down poetry or how I am feeling that day and then illustrating those things. I would describe my work as surrealism, as a lot of the imagery comes to me like a dream and reflects that. This year I had my first solo show which was a compilation of different imaginary afterlives. A lot of my art focuses on color and anatomy. I am a big nerd for both.

As a full-time artist, improvisation is part of everything I do. Behind the chair, I meet people with brand-new ideas every day, each one a unique canvas with different possibilities. I’m constantly designing, problem-solving, and creating within a limited window of time. I run my own small studio and work independently.
Outside the salon, I curate for Walter Where?House and Walter Studios. We typically show around 135 paintings at a time and run a full gift shop featuring smaller works and 3D pieces by our incredibly talented community of artists. The rest of my week is divided between administrative work for both Walter and my salon, fulfilling commissions, and making new work for exhibitions.
Right now, I’m especially proud of staying in business on my own for six years. I’m proud of building out the gift shop this season—creating not only a new space for art, but also a new job within our creative community. And this fall, I reached two major milestones: placing my work in the airport and showing in my first museum.

What does success mean to you?
To me, success is the ability to be present with my decisions. It’s knowing that, whatever the outcome, I didn’t act out of impulse or drift through things unconsciously. Even when I’m in a flow state, which can feel unconscious, there’s a deep sense of connection and intention underneath it.
When I honor my boundaries, take care of myself, eat well, rest, and stay present in my life, that’s success. It’s less about achievement and more about alignment.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.artthoutifa.com
• Instagram: artthoutifa