Bio

Tiersha Faith Laird is an American curator and multimedia artist whose diverse practice encompasses painting, sculpture, printmaking, mixed media, and interactive/electronic media. She earned her Bachelors of Fine Arts with a minor in Art History from Loyola University New Orleans.

During her time at Loyola, Tiersha served as President of the Visual Arts Club for two consecutive years, curating and organizing several notable exhibitions. These included The African Art Experience, which she co-curated with Ryan Nichols, as well as Clusterfunk, Loyola’s annual student exhibition, which she curated independently in 2021 and 2022. Each exhibition was made possible through fundraising events and art sales led by Tiersha. In recognition of her leadership, Tiersha received the Mark Grote Endowed Award in Visual Arts and an honorary pink chord at graduation, a new tradition established in her honor.

Tiersha’s professional journey extends beyond her personal artistic practice. She has gained invaluable experience at respected institutions such as the Contemporary Arts Center in New Orleans and the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, where she deepened her knowledge of curatorial practices and public engagement.

During her artist residency at The Burren College of Art in Ireland, Tiersha had the opportunity to present her first solo exhibition, Sacred Forms, a milestone in her artistic career. This residency allowed her to further expand her creative practice, refine her technical skills, and engage with the international art community.

Tiersha is dedicated to teaching and nurturing creativity in others. She worked as an artistic director and arts instructor at Light of the Village, an organization she has volunteered with since 2016. In this role, Tiersha guided students through artistic exploration, helping them discover their voices and build confidence. Her belief in the transformative power of art is evident in the way she fosters personal and creative growth in her students. Tiersha's commitment to art extends to her local community, where she worked with the Mobile Art’s Council as an arts instructor with the Amp Up Arts initiative.

Currently Tiersha is furthering her expertise in exhibition making through a Master’s program in Curating at Goldsmith’s University of London.

Artist Statement

    I explore the inherent strength and softness of the human form, particularly through depictions of larger bodies that challenge narrow societal definitions of beauty. Through painting and sculpture, I dismantle restrictive ideals and celebrate forms that embody power in their fullness and fluidity. My work asserts that fatness can be synonymous with softness as a powerful quality worthy of reverence, representing a natural beauty that is often marginalized.

Ecofeminism, which recognizes the interconnectedness of the oppression of women and the exploitation of nature, informs my artistic choices. Just as ecosystems thrive in diversity, so should our perceptions of beauty and value. Through this lens, I challenge anthropocentric hierarchies and highlight the necessity of care, balance, and interdependence. My work situates the body within the cyclical strength and fragility of the natural world. Botanical imagery and organic motifs connect the human form to nature’s rhythms of growth and transformation.

My sculptural work offers a counterpoint, using metal to emphasize the coexistence of rigor and delicacy. By transforming steel into floating forms,  I illustrate that even unyielding elements embody grace.