Tina Hyde didn’t come to art later in life. Art has been the thread running through nearly everything she’s done.
She’s been a member of the Art Guild since around 2022, but her relationship with art goes back decades. Tina spent 28 years as a high school art teacher, followed by retirement that didn’t quite stick. Today, she still teaches college classes and stays deeply involved in creating and sharing art.
When asked about her preferred medium, Tina doesn’t limit herself to just one. Years in the classroom required her to be fluent in many forms, and that variety shows in her work. Her pieces range from watercolor, oil, and acrylic painting to ceramics, fiber work, jewelry, and both two- and three-dimensional art. She often jokes that she’s a “jack of all trades,” but the breadth of her work tells a bigger story: curiosity, experimentation, and a love for the process.
One of her favorite pieces on display is a cowboy print created using kitchen lithography, a nontraditional printmaking technique that relies on everyday materials like aluminum foil and household liquids. It was a challenging piece to complete and one she’s never been able to replicate. Adding to its meaning, the subject of the piece is her husband, making it both technically demanding and personally significant.
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For Tina, the Art Guild is about more than just showing work. After living in Laclede County for 35 years, joining the Guild gave her a sense of belonging she didn’t know she was missing. The camaraderie, shared creativity, and mutual encouragement are what keep her coming back. In her words, it feels like she’s finally found her people.
Her teaching journey began in Richland, where she spent eight years commuting long distances to build her career. She later moved to Marshfield, where she taught for 20 years in a new facility with expanded art spaces. After one final year teaching post-COVID, she officially retired from high school education, calling that period a “train wreck,” but not because she stopped loving teaching. Her heart has always been in the classroom.
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That love led her to continue teaching at the college level and volunteering her time with 4-H, where she now teaches art classes to elementary-aged students. It’s a new experience for her, one that’s both challenging and rewarding. She also hopes to offer craft classes in the future, though she admits retirement hasn’t slowed her down as much as planned.
Tina describes herself as a people pleaser who wants to make others happy, and that spirit comes through in everything she does. Whether she’s teaching, experimenting with a new medium, or spending time at the Art Guild, her work reflects a lifetime dedicated to creativity, learning, and connection.
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