Garner-Tomas was raised in an artistic family. Her mother Zenia loves style and plays piano and her father Bruce Garner was a metal sculptor who has over 30 large metal installation sculptures in Ottawa and Toronto, Ontario.

Alberta has been the Artist’s home for 40 years. She has a wonderfully supportive husband and family who help her whenever needed. She graduated from the three-year fine art special course at Central Technical School, Toronto, Ontario in 1979.

Tania has had the honor of being selected for many commissions, public and private. These include Silver Birch Lodge, Sherwood Park, The Stone Barn Society in Leduc which has two sculptures, The Edmonton Art Council, Enbridge storage facility, Fantasyland Hotel, Wetaskiwin General Hospital, The College of Physicians and surgeons, Hockey Moms, and the County of Strathcona.

Tania has also written and illustrated and published two children’s books; The big adventures of Spike the miniature horse.

What Inspires Tania

I am fascinated with reflection, movement and emotion in my artwork.

I love water and horses. My connection with them together goes way back to when I drove my toy Best of the west horse, buckboard wagon and Jane West doll through the water filled ditch (river to their scale) when I was 9. The thrill continued when I rode my real horse through the Red Deer River in Alberta as a young mother inspiring much artwork since.

The shine on the water, the transparency, revealing the rocks below takes my breath away. This is truly “The magic on the edge of reality.” I think this explains my love of stainless steel. Its shine, its reflective qualities and its strength and permanence in outdoor conditions. This beautiful modern metal connects me to my love of reflection depicted in much of my artwork. In my lifelong work with horsemanship, many believe that our horse is our mirror, reflecting ourselves back, good and bad.