Tekoa Galloway has been a resident of Southwest Kansas for 21 years, all of which have been in the Grant and Haskell County areas, but, she says, "It definitely feels like I've lived here for longer than that."
"I've lived in this area my whole life," Tekoa added. "I was born in Satanta, but every year my family would come down for the fair."
She began showcasing her artwork at the Main ARTery in Ulysses in February 2024. Right now, she said, her work at the local gallery is a "variety of sorts."
"I have a few canvases of my photography, along with some stickers and notebooks," she said. "I also have leather bound journals and my mom's junk journals."
She comes by her love of art naturally - her mother, Audree Galloway, also makes handcrafted junk journals. Several of Audree's pieces can also be seen at the local gallery.
"My mom always tried to bring out our artistic side during school, whatever we wanted to explore she did her best to help, even if it was something she wasn't familiar with," Tekoa said. "Through that, I gained an appreciation for the arts. If it hadn't been for her efforts, I probably wouldn't even consider art."
As for Tekoa's work...
"I first started out with pencil, learning realism," Tekoa said. "But since then, I've tried pastels and crayons. My personal favorite would definitely be alcohol markers."
Tekoa says she "loves to draw people".
"A single shift of an eyebrow can change anyone's emotion so much," she said. "Although I have done a portrait of my sister's dog, I never quite enjoyed it as much. Recently though there has been something especially captivating about photography, finding that hidden light and bringing it out for everyone to see."
When asked how she would describe her aesthetic, Tekoa said. "vintage with a touch of Steampunk."
When asked if she had any favorite artists, Tekoa said she "actually doesn't have any favorites."
"I appreciate everyone's art and the amount of work they put into it," Tekoa said. "Few people do art, because they want to be known, but rather because they want to express their inner feelings and creativity."
Tekoa has two sisters and one brother. Her sister, Katrina, currently living in Montana where she is doing missions.
"She actually took a few of my handcrafted journals up with her to help raise money," Tekoa said.
Her oldest sister, Kira, and her dad, Shawn Galloway, both work at Grant County Emergency Medical Services.
Tekoa believes art should not be "confining".
"Art, regardless of what the subject is, should never be confining," she said. "It should be a way for a person to express themselves in the purest way possible, a chance to show people how they view the world. My hope is to inspire people through my art and creations, to find that light within and let it shine. No light should be hidden under a bushel.
Tekoa is one of the many artists with work available for sale at the Main ARTery in Ulysses.
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