Tiya Caniel Maynard moves through the world as a creator, curator, healer, and community builder.
She carries with her an infectious energy of warmth and openness, the same energy that radiates from her art. Her work is an offering, building a bridge between the seen and the unseen, the ancestral and the present. "I aspire to incite feelings of joy, curiosity, intrigue, self-expression, and liberation," she explains.
Tiya's practice combines mixed media, collage, painting, jewelry design, drawing, photography, and original writing to explore themes of Black liberation, joy, cultivating community, and ancestral veneration. The bulk of her work is in abstraction, and her creative practice is highly intuitive, which allows her to flow between different mediums in her work. Her artistic influences include yoga teachings and philosophy, expressions of Black joy, nature, and the practices of honoring loved ones and ancestors.
With a degree in sociology from Winston-Salem State University, Tiya has long been drawn to the intersections of art, activism, and community care. By 2010, she had woven together design, art, and yoga, shaping a practice that merges creativity with mindfulness. Now, she finds herself on a journey of accelerated expansion—in self, space, and impact.
In Fall 2022, she secured her first studio space at the Visual and Performing Arts Center (VAPA) in uptown Charlotte through BLK MRKT CLT. Seven months later, she debuted her first solo exhibition and caught a glimpse of where she was headed next.
Since then, she's received two Charlotte Is Creative grants, completed the QC Family Tree Culture Bearer artist residency, stepped into the lead curator role at VAPA, and joined the Harvey B. Gantt Center's Black Carolina Artist Collective. Most recently, she was appointed to the board of directors for QC Family Tree, offering guidance in their Rhizome and Culture Bearer programs. "I am excited to continue serving the Charlotte-Metro area and beyond as a visual & teaching artist, as well as through healing arts and social activism," she says.
In addition to her working studio at VAPA, Tiya opened a second space across the hall in 2024. Love Tiya Caniel is a gallery and retail shop showcasing Tiya's work, from original paintings to handcrafted jewelry. In 2025, she plans to utilize the space as a platform for guest artists and exhibitions.
Thanks to her entrepreneurial spirit, Tiya moves fluidly between roles: leading workshops, curating exhibitions, and creating original artwork. Her latest curatorial project, Held in Bliss, invites us into the same sense of peace and presence that fuels her work. "I thrive when I am well-fed, loved, rested, and connected with my joy," she confides.
The two-part exhibition, hosted at Myers Park United Methodist Church and The Arts Factory, invites viewers to explore the concept of deep rest and joyful surrender. Featuring work from over 20 artists across both spaces, the show encourages audiences to reflect physically, emotionally, and spiritually. "Now is the time to identify and connect with your bliss as often as possible and explore the idea of resting and being held in a blissful state." she shares. The opening receptions take place on February 6 and February 19, with an artist talk scheduled for March 19 at the Arts Factory.
To support Tiya, follow her journey on Instagram, visit her gallery space, or attend one of her upcoming exhibitions.
By Alexandra Smith