By Romaree Herbert,
El Paso is now home to Puerto Rican artist, and ascension guide, Tamara Liz. Her exhibit “Spiritual Growth” will open with a special reception on October 31st at Zephyr Contemporary.
Tamara Liz was born and raised in Puerto Rico and her love for the island and its vibrant culture has significantly influenced her artistic expression. Her path eventually led her to El Paso after living in Atlanta and New Mexico.
Tamara Liz’s journey in life and art has been deeply intertwined with her roots and experiences. “The decision to move to El Paso felt beyond serendipitous, almost like an ancestral calling. I found a welcoming community here and a place where I could continue to grow both spiritually and artistically,” she explains.
“In El Paso, I created my own gallery studio at Bodega Loya just as it launched, where I began offering classes and summer camps under the name Joyful Arts. My dedication to the community led me to apply for and receive two grants in 2022/23—one from the City of El Paso’s MCAD and another from the Vela Educational Fund. With these grants, I continued to offer services for children and opened a studio inside Cafecito, providing a space where kids could create art free of charge, with materials always available for their use.”
In 2024, the grant funds were exhausted, and Tamara Liz closed the studios, leaving some of her artwork at Cafecito. She also donated a piece to the Paso del Norte Center of Hope for their *Blue the Hue* exhibition at Zephyr Gallery, where she met gallery owner Nico Antuna, who invited her to exhibit there.
As an artist, Tamara Liz draws inspiration from the works of Ana Mendieta, Joseph Beuys, and Carl Jung. Their explorations of identity, spirituality, and the human psyche resonate deeply with her own artistic journey. Her work is also influenced by her spiritual practices, which include elements of Buddhism, Shinto, and Kabbalah.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in Image and Design from the Escuela de Artes Plásticas in Puerto Rico and a master’s degree in Art Therapy from Georgia College & State University. “My education laid the foundation for my career, but my passion for art has always been innate. I discovered the healing power of art during a challenging time in my life, which set me on the path to becoming an art therapist and ascension guide,” explains Tamara Liz.
Tamara says that family is central to her life and is blessed with two children, a 14-year-old son and an almost 12-year-old daughter, who inspire her daily. Homeschooling her kids has allowed her to blend her love for education with her passion for creativity. She incorporates lessons on meditation, spirituality, and emotional well-being into their daily routines.
“Creating art is my spiritual practice but spending time with my family is pivotal. Engaging with my local community through workshops and events is also essential to my journey. As an artist and healer, my path has been one of resilience and transformation, and I am committed to helping others navigate their own spiritual and emotional landscapes through the power of art,” Tamara Liz says.
Question & Answer with Artist Tamara Liz
What is an Ascension Guide and What Do They Do?
To begin, I would like to share a quote from Verna Maruata on what Ascension is, taken from her website Alpha Imaging:
“Ascension is the journey from our own darkness into our own light. Our karma is our darkness, and the absence of karma is our light. As our karma decreases, our vibration rises, our consciousness rises, and our light is manifested.”
No matter what belief system we follow, we are all meant to ascend. That is our true purpose in life; everything else is an experience designed to propel us on that path. Ascension is about having heart-based thoughts, words, and actions—doing the best we can at any given moment, one choice at a time.
With so much information and so many belief systems out there, we need guidance to find our own voice, our own truth, and our own power. As an ascension guide, I serve in various ways. I have extensive knowledge and experience in the subject and offer a range of tools to help people on their paths. My role involves providing support, perspective, and guidance in all things related to spiritual growth.
This guidance is like a therapeutic relationship but with a focus on navigating life from the understanding that we are spiritual beings first and foremost. We talk about energy, use different spiritual tools—such as dowsing rods, oracle cards, and art—and navigate emotions, process difficult experiences, and validate the spiritual process. In these sessions, all tools are available. In contrast, a session focused on “The Wisdom Within” might exclusively use motivational interviewing.
What Therapies Do You Specialize In?
I embrace an eclectic approach, with humanism and positive psychology at the core. I also favor motivational interviewing and, of course, creative arts therapies. Transpersonal psychology is another favorite, along with my own spiritual arts techniques. I believe in an adaptive style, always researching and learning. Having a wide range of tools is the best way to approach most cases.
I steer away from telling people what to do, which is why I prefer offering several alternatives that I believe will fit the client’s lifestyle. I cannot do the work for them; each person is responsible for their own journey. My goal is to facilitate the transformation and growth they need through all my offerings.
What Led You on This Path of Becoming an Artist Focusing on Healing?
I lived it! I know firsthand what it is like to be hospitalized, diagnosed, and have your life turned upside down. I had zero tools to cope with what I had experienced (bipolar with a psychosis episode). Although now I identify as neurodivergent, since my symptoms align with that, the doctors and therapists back then (2005) were of no help. But thankfully, I had art.
This is a multi-layered response to explain some of what I do and believe.
No one addressed what I experienced. In fact, doctors would tell me I was fine because I looked well-adjusted. During that time, high-functioning people did not get much help, I suppose. So how did I make sense of what I lived through? Art. So much art. I also made a lot of video art.
I learned that I could express myself, even when I could not fully comprehend what I was experiencing, through art. Not only that, but the energy that was previously stuck in my body moved right onto the canvas. This process not only helps express and analyze your experience but can also energetically heal you.
Art is so powerful—it is truly medicine. But that is not all! Through art, you can reach higher realms and connect with what we call The Divine, almost like a direct line to God. It is incredibly powerful. Symbols emerge that not only speak to your experience but can guide you and offer new insights.
Lastly, as that connection is fostered, one can choose to work with Ascended Masters, Angels, and beings of light to bring healing energy into these paintings. It is like reiki infused into art and then into the environment. There’s research on this—The Spiritual Science Research Foundation (SSRF) has over 20 years of research using poly-contrast interference photography (PIP) technology.
What Are Some of Your Favorite Places to Visit in El Paso?
I love going to the museums—I feel that is one of the best parts of El Paso. You can visit so many of them free of charge, and I believe their work is incredibly important. I must also mention Hueco Tanks—what a fascinating connection to our ancestors through this sacred site. And, of course, the art! The pictographs are amazing, and there is even a cool app that lets you see them with better contrast.
Gallery info
“Spiritual Growth” opens with a special reception on October 31st at Zephyr Contemporary, 3891 Frutas B, El Paso, TX (The Falstaff community of galleries in downtown).
The exhibition will be on view through November 22, with a workshop and talk on November 16. Admission is free, and all are welcome to experience this unique exploration of art, spirituality, and healing.
For more information about the exhibition contact Tamara Liz at 915-258-9049 or becreative@tamaraliz.com and follow her at @tamaraliz.art
