A self-taught artist, Tanya Piatz has worked to capture conservation needs worldwide with her art. She gathers much of her inspiration from personal research, the environment, and conservation efforts.  She hopes to educate and inspire generations of nature lovers on species of conservation need, to promote habitat restoration, and curiosity about the natural world.

Tanya will complete a week of study in May 2026. During her residency, she aims to study Roger Tory Peterson’s artwork and to spend time outside gathering reference photos for her series “Species of Special Concern.” She has been using Minnesota’s DNR list “Species of Greatest Conservation Need” to illustrate birds that have been experiencing decline due to various reasons. The most common reason for decline is habitat loss and human interference. The species she would like to specifically research is the Henslow’s sparrow, which is found both in New York and Minnesota.