Tucson artist Tamara Scott-Anderson creates 3D wall decor using fabrics, textiles and beads. This piece is called "Two Lights."

 Pedro Romano

If it feels like Tamara Scott-Anderson's artwork is popping out at you, that's because it is.Β 

Scott-Anderson, an artist for more than three decades, has taken toΒ creating 3D wall decor from all kinds of fabrics, textiles and beads.Β 

β€œI started out as a weaver and that kind of thing,” the Tucson artist says. β€œAnd I developed this β€” what I call fiber wall sculptures β€” on my own.” 

It allΒ began with a piece of hardware cloth made from thin strips of metal.Β 

β€œIt kind of set me off and I’ve been doing it ever since,” she says.Β 

β€œMy stuff appeals to people who like texture, who don’t necessarily want something behind glass,” Scott-Anderson says. β€œHouses with big windows β€” you get glares and you can’t appreciate it.”

Scott-Anderson’s work tends to be very colorful and is especially detailed when you see it up close.

She says she’s always liked florals, though she’s trying to get a bit more abstract. To gain inspiration, she’ll sometimes take photographs or skims through Pinterest.Β 

This is a closeup of "Two Lights" by Tamara Scott-Anderson. "My stuff appeals to people who like texture," she says.

β€œThen I look at my fabrics to see what I have and what colors might be used,” she says. β€œIf I’m doing a piece on hardware cloth, then I have to decide the size and shape of that.” 

From there, she’ll paint the hardware cloth and start weaving her materials through.Β 

β€œAfter most of the canvas, so to speak, is woven, I’ll start embellishing with ribbons or trims, adding stitching, adding the beads,” she says.Β 

Artist Tamara Scott-Anderson has been using recycled materials to create 3D wall decor. This piece is called "World In Trouble."

Scott-Anderson’sΒ creative journey started as an art student at the University of Arizona.Β 

β€œWhen I was doing my undergraduate work, I was in a sculpture class. I had done a macrame piece and it was very free form,” she says. β€œPeople said, β€˜This is interesting β€” I think you should explore this a little more.’”

Tamara Scott-Anderson has been an artist for more than 35 years.

Although she went to college for art, Scott-Anderson never took an art class in high school. But she says she had been interested in art since she was a teen.

β€œIn junior high, my grandmother lived next door to a woman who was an art teacher and she would let me come over and try out stuff that she was doing with her classes,” she says. β€œThat’s what kind of got me interested, even though I didn’t do a whole lot of that until I got to college and I had to pick a major.” 

This detail shot shows some of the materials artist Tamara Scott-Anderson used to create "World In Trouble."

Scott-Anderson previously worked as an art teacher and also owned a furniture and design store. She’s now two years into retirement and focusing more on making and selling her art.

Recently, she’s been using recycled materials β€” jewelry donated by friends or fabric she stumbles upon along a downtown street, for example.Β Β 

β€œIt’s that whole consciousness in cleaning up the environment,” she says. β€œThis is stuff that could go to a landfill, so I’m going to repurpose it. That’s been a new focus for me.”

Take a walking tour of University of Arizona art. Sure it's hot, but the grass and trees make it at least feel cooler.

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Contact reporter Gloria Knott at gknott@tucson.com or 573-4235. On Twitter: @gloriaeknott