Huge Announcement

As a fullt-ime artist, there have been so many changes in my life since I started.  I had always been a closet painter, but I made the decision 8 years ago to take my art seriously.  I felt blessed by the Creator to be a creator in His image.  That was who I truly was and what made me come alive.  I knew it would be a slow process of becoming, but as I did, my life changed.  My self-realization started about who I was and the type of person I always wanted to be.  

As I was growing and starting to gain traction as an artist, there became a huge disparaging difference in my marriage.  I tried for a couple years to figure out why we were struggling so badly.  We had two amazing men-children, a home we loved, and what I thought was the perfect life.  And then I abruptly learned some things about my husband that I couldn’t fix or look away from anymore.  This led us to divorce 2 and a half years ago.  Never in my life did I think I would be in that place.  I mourned for months the loss of my family that had been my number one priority.  I mourned the loss of the person who I thought had been my best friend.  And I mourned the future that was never going to be.  

But slowly, I got off the couch.  I hired a divorce coach and went about the hard task of healing and self-discovery.  I had to relearn who I was, and make new dreams for myself — dreams of a new future that included the things that I wanted for the first time in so long.  Dreams of who I wanted to be, what I wanted to do, and the type of people I wanted in my life.  It was hard work.  I had to work through the good and the bad.  I had to see myself for who I had become and how far I had strayed from myself to keep my marriage afloat.  And slowly, things changed.  I changed!!!  Slowly, I was thankful that I had this new lease on life – a second chance.  A chance to be the person that I’ve always wanted to be!!  A chance to live a life I always wanted to live.  

Today, I truly know who I am and what are the most important things to me.  I have met and married a new love … truly the kindest man I have ever met in my entire life.  We’ve moved into our own new home and are in the process of renovating it.  And that leads me to my big announcement.

In order to honor myself, my hard work, and the beauty that I bring to the world, I will be changing my professional name back to my maiden name.  I will be – 

Tammy Keller Contemporary Artist

And it feels good!!!  My prayer for all of you is that my story might encourage you.  We all go through the hardest of things in this world.  At times, they are soul crushing.  I can honestly say that I am glad that I have gone through what I have, because its taught me so much.  It’s taught me what true love is and what it is not.  Its taught me who my real friends are.  It’s taught me that we can live through things that we never thought possible.  It’s taught me great compassion for the hurting in this world, and Lord knows we are all hurting these days.  

So from now on, you will see my name T.Keller signed on all my paintings.  And I pray that when you see it, you will see it as a sign of an Overcommer!!