AoN Collector Spotlight: Tamyra Walker

Happy Holidays AoN family! Thank you for all of the love and support throughout the 2024 season. We are looking forward to the upcoming year and we have many exciting things planned for 2025. We can’t wait to continue building with you!

This month we are excited to welcome Tamyra Walker as our last spotlight guest of 2024.

“I started collecting art in 2015 when someone gifted me my first piece, but things really picked up in 2021. My first piece of artwork was from a graphic artist. It's a portrait of a woman in hijab with the islamic star depicted as a bird. Typically in a piece I look for a strong narrative or expressed emotion. Portraits that speak to me really compel me. 

My favorite piece is one that a friend and I co-designed that draws inspiration from the collective wisdom and essence of Audre Lorde and James Baldwin, using their influence to frame the unity of Black women and men through strength and love. The background is patterned after Kuba cloth from the Congo, grounding the work in rich cultural heritage. I believe Black art embodies our culture.

I cherish collecting art because it allows me to connect with the soul of a Black creative. Black artists preserve and celebrate the cultural legacy of the African Diaspora and for me, collecting is a deeply spiritual experience.”

You can find Tamyra on IG: @tamyrawalker.