Tianna Williams

From my earliest memories, I watched my parents use their gifts for the glory of God, particularly through music. They brought beauty into our home, making it a lovely and welcoming space. They encouraged us children in our talents and gave us the space to flourish. It became deeply embedded in me that all that is good comes from God and should be offered back to Him through a life well lived. And so that is what I’ve tried to do.

My father taught me to pray at a very young age. I don’t remember a time when I didn’t have faith. However, my faith truly became my own when I was in my teens. I fell in love with Jesus in the Eucharist, recognizing in Him the lover for whom my heart longed. To this day, my favorite place in the whole world is sitting in a quiet church before the tabernacle.

My story is blessedly ordinary. I grew up, met the love of my life, got married and started a family. The day I realized I was a mother was the same day my ministry was born, when I painted an image of Mother Mary to tell my husband that I was pregnant. Over the coming months, I painted more saints and realized that maybe this was a calling. I eventually began selling my work and switched to making art full time.

My story is not without some heartache. After our daughter was born, we experienced five years of unexplained infertility and loss. I struggled with my mental and physical health. In this time, God drew me close to Himself, healing parts of my heart that I didn’t even realize were hurting, asking me to trust in Him more deeply than I ever had before.

I continued to paint, recognizing in each saint not only a model and inspiration, but a friend to help us on this journey. I now spend my days balancing motherhood with running my business, while my evenings are usually devoted to painting. With the recent birth of our son, I find myself overwhelmed by the goodness of God who has blessed me with a beautiful family and work that I find both enjoyable and fulfilling. I don’t know what the coming years hold, but I think that if I can continue making art that honors the saints and gives glory to God, while serving my family and making my home a place of beauty and peace, it will be a life well lived.