June 5, 2025 • 28 mins
What happens when a physician's analytical mind meets the boundless creativity of photography? Tara Workman, a nature photographer from Barbados now living in the Pacific Northwest, joins us to share her extraordinary journey through art, medicine, and the world of NFTs.
Tara's path to becoming a celebrated photographer began with a simple challenge from her husband to learn how to properly use her camera before buying a new one. That small nudge ignited a passion that would transform her creative life. Despite her success, Tara describes herself as naturally introverted—more like a watchful cougar than her husband's labrador-like enthusiasm—preferring to observe carefully before engaging.
The conversation reveals Tara's initial skepticism toward NFTs during the frenzied market of 2021. She candidly shares how the pressure to constantly promote herself clashed with her authentic nature, leading to a brief hiatus from the space. Upon returning in 2022, she committed to approaching her art with more authenticity, finding her rhythm in the community while staying true to her unique vision.
Most compelling is Tara's insight into how the creative process evolves. When facing a creative block, she stepped completely outside her comfort zone by experimenting with acrylic painting. Though initially disappointed with the results, she discovered unexpected beauty by photographing microscopic sections of these "failed" paintings with her macro lens. This serendipitous process birthed "The Art of Letting Go," her new series that has resonated deeply with collectors even in the current market.
Throughout our conversation, Tara offers wisdom for fellow artists: remember why you create, resist the temptation to follow trends, and recognize when external validation begins to influence your creative decisions. Her journey reminds us that the most meaningful art often emerges when we embrace uncertainty and remain open to unexpected possibilities.
Join us for this thought-provoking conversation about finding your authentic voice in a noisy world. Whether you're an artist, collector, or simply curious about the creative process, Tara's insights will inspire you to see beauty in unexpected places.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
NorCal Guy (00:00):
Who is this?
Who is this guy?
Who is this guy?
Who is this?
Who is this guy?
Who is this guy?
Who is this guy?
Norcal guy.
Norcal guy.
Norcal guy.
Norcal guy.
Norcal guy NorCal guy, norcalguy, norcal guy.
Norcal and chill podcast.
Chill, it's chill time.
Norcal and chill podcast.
(00:22):
What the fuck?
What the sh-.
What the sh NorCal and ShillPodcast.
So it's shill time.
Norcal and Shill Podcast.
What the sh-.
Tara Workman (00:31):
What the?
NorCal Guy (00:31):
sh-.
Hey everyone, welcome to thisnext episode of NorCal and Shill
.
Today's guest is Tara Workman.
She's a nature photographerfrom Barbados, currently living
in the Pacific Northwest.
Her photography celebratesbeauty in simplicity.
She seeks to ignite theimagination and the viewer's
(00:54):
sense of wonder, most oftenthrough minimalist abstraction.
With a less-is-more approach,she portrays her unique view of
the world and the beauty shesees.
She is a Nat Geo photographerand board member of Miyamo Art.
Everybody, please welcome Tara.
(01:15):
Hey, tara, welcome to thepodcast.
How are you doing today?
Tara Workman (01:19):
Hi, I'm good thanks.
Thanks for having me.
NorCal Guy (01:23):
I am good, thanks.
Thanks for having me.
Uh, you know, I am glad this ishappening.
Um, on a one-on-one versus athree-on-one with uh what.
What happened, though, was thattwo years ago?
Um, yeah, in the comp stompstudio live podcast.
That was pretty fun though itwas fun.
Tara Workman (01:44):
Yeah, it was 2022 um.
It was jenna and johan yeah,yeah it's a good, good time,
first time I met you yeah, yeah,right, right, right with your
big backpack, yeah it was myfirst time doing an in-person
interview.
It was good.
NorCal Guy (02:07):
Thanks and had to bring all the equipment, all the
just-in-cases, because the lastthing you need was everything
to be not working.
Tara Workman (02:21):
Indeed, it worked out well.
I remember it's so differentthis time because I was so
nervous, because you build upthis NorCal guy thing and I'm
just sitting there and I'm likeshit, but yeah no it went well
and I feel way better.
I feel way better this timebetter this time.
NorCal Guy (02:47):
Good, good, I was so nervous about that, you know
what?
Because I was like I think Iwas a couple minutes late,
because I I was like doublechecking everything at the hotel
, making sure everything wasworking, and like I put in the
SD card and I was like readingthe time that was left wrong in
my, like I was seeing it and Iwas reading it wrong and I I was
like Frank, my, my SD card'snot big enough.
How is that possible?
And it just like was confusingme and I like was sitting there,
(03:10):
just like I got, I got to runby B and H on the way over there
, like get this like somemassive thing, and then I don't
know what made me likereconsider the numbers that I
was seeing.
And then I was like, oh,there's hours worth of time and
was like, just, you know, whenyou're nervous, you read things,
you're like looking at thingsway differently and you're like
(03:31):
frank.
Tara Workman (03:31):
No for sure, especially the first one.
Yeah, you did.
Great though you did well, sodid you.
NorCal Guy (03:36):
So did you, thanks.
Um well, jumping right in.
Do you have and use a hardwarewallet?
Tara Workman (03:50):
write in.
Do you have and use a hardwarewallet?
I do.
Um, I actually had one.
So I've been around since 2021and I had one for a really long
time and I I remember setting itup and then never putting
anything on it and then I wasforced to use it when I think it
was some open sea fishing thingand everybody was freaking out
(04:12):
and I remember my friend Jaredcalled me and was like you need
to get everything off yourMetaMask.
NorCal Guy (04:19):
Get everything on your ledger.
Tara Workman (04:21):
I was like I don't even know where it is, I don't
know how to use it.
I was like I don't even knowwhere it is, I don't know how to
use it.
I was freaking out, so luckilynothing got hacked.
Nothing got finished and now Iuse my ledger all the time.
NorCal Guy (04:37):
Oh man, I think that was when they switched their
contracts or something.
Yeah, I remember something likethat.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Tara Workman (04:47):
And it was, I think it was I was working or
something.
Yeah, I remember something likethat.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, and it was,it was, I think it was I was
working or something and I was.
Just I didn't even know wherethe the actual uh ledger was.
NorCal Guy (04:53):
I had to go like hunting uh yeah, oh man, oh man,
after this, after this, I gotto send you something about
Jared Nice.
No, I can't.
Tara Workman (05:12):
What were your first thoughts when you heard
about NFTs?
So, yeah, I was a big skeptic.
I was in it, for actually Iwasn't even in it.
I was in it for actually Iwasn't even in it.
I basically was encouraging myfriend Jared to to get started
and you know, I set upeverything but not really
(05:33):
thinking it was going to beanything.
I actually didn't pay muchattention.
I minted, but I didn't really Ididn't get it and I was pretty
skeptical and I was was likethis guy, vince, is buying
everybody's stuff.
If, if he buys my stuff, great,if not, I don't know.
So I was a huge skeptic tobegin with and I don't think I
(05:58):
really I've told you this beforebut, like 2021, I did not enjoy
.
I didn't like the frenzy.
I didn't like just like mypersonality is, I don't, I don't
like to show myself off, Idon't like to talk about myself.
Um, ironically, here I am, um,but so so I didn't really get it
(06:22):
, I don't think, until probablythe beginning of 2022.
I'd actually disappeared for abit in the fall of 21.
And then I started looking intoit more.
I started learning more aboutcrypto and you know blockchain
technology and all that, andeventually, you know, something
(06:55):
clicked but I didn't want tocome back.
Unless I could come back, youknow more authentically like me.
And so in 2022, I actually gotonboarded to SLOICA and I just
basically came back slower pacedand yeah, I, you know, yeah,
been pretty good since then andyeah, that's good.
21 was mania like insane yeah, Iwas not good at.
(07:17):
I was not good at that at all.
NorCal Guy (07:21):
Neither was I oh, that's debatable so neither was
I.
Oh, oh, that's debatable so whydid you choose art, or what
brought you to art?
Tara Workman (07:35):
so that was pretty accidental.
Um, so I'm a family physicianfull-time and I always liked
taking pictures, but I neverknew how to use a camera.
So one year I think I was 16.
I decided I wanted to buy a newcamera, and rightly so.
(07:57):
My husband challenged me andwas like what do you need a new
camera for?
I don't even know how to usethe old one.
So I was like I just need acamera that I can grow into.
He was like yeah, well, youneed to actually learn.
And so he pushed me to do acourse.
And then I pretty much gotobsessed.
(08:18):
I just I loved the wholeprocess of it and I you know
I've connected with a group ofequally obsessed photographers
and I don't know I just it justkind of took off.
I'm pretty sure we used to playgolf and stuff.
I'm pretty sure he regretspushing me in this direction.
(08:39):
But here we are and you knowit's interesting, like I never
really thought that I wascreative, um, and then a couple
years probably like three, fouryears ago, I don't know I just
started to try to try to see ifI could make a more unique take
on nature photography, becausethere's a lot of photography out
(09:02):
there that's relatively similar, um, and I wasn't as fulfilled
doing that anymore, um, so Ikind of started to divert in my,
in my uh, artistic view and Idon't know.
I started to like muck aroundwith the camera a little bit and
started to actually enjoy itmore.
NorCal Guy (09:24):
Yeah, yeah, got me here.
What jobs have you done alongthe way?
I know you just mentionedphysician, but what else?
Tara Workman (09:36):
yeah, so I'm pretty boring.
So I grew up in barbados andwell, yeah, that that's pretty,
that was pretty sweet but, like,very, very fortunate in that,
you know, education was free, um, up to med school, so I didn't
(09:59):
really have to have a lot of oddjobs and so it was school for
the most part.
I worked for my dad, just doing, you know, clerical work here
and there some of the summersand, uh, taught at a vacation
bible school for one of thesummers, which, yeah, yeah, but
that's good, that's good.
Yeah, I don't know if I'mqualified for that, but I did it
(10:23):
, but I didn't do.
I didn't have a lot of like thecool weird jobs you know
growing up or anything, just medschool residency and yeah.
NorCal Guy (10:37):
Hey, that's all right.
That's all right.
So if you were an animal, whatwould you be and why?
Tara Workman (10:46):
So I've thought about this one.
So I tend to be I tend toactually like people see me,
they think I'm, you know, superchill and super bubbly and you
know people person and all ofthat but I'm actually a pretty
introverted person and Iactually love my solitude.
(11:07):
So my husband and I always jokethat he's like the lab, he's
like this dog and he's supernice and super like everything
is great and I'm kind of the catpersonality worries about
everything is like this needs tobe changed, this needs to
happen.
Um, I also in web three, liketo lurk a lot, so I think I
(11:29):
don't know, probably somethinglike a cougar or some sort of
cat.
You know that just is islooking at everything,
processing everything.
Might not be seen, but I'maround.
NorCal Guy (11:46):
So you're like I'll let my husband be the dog at the
house and you're like I'm goingto be the cougar out in the
wild.
Tara Workman (11:53):
And I'll just attack him sometime.
Not that kind of cougar but yes.
Yeah, I mean, I can see myselfbeing like some sort of cat,
like a cougar, like a tiger orsomething.
Yeah, all right, majestic quiet.
You know, not really seen much.
NorCal Guy (12:16):
So have you seen any in the wild?
Because you'd be out hiking outthere.
I have not.
Tara Workman (12:22):
I freaked out thinking that there were some.
I'm I'm grateful that I haven't, like, I've seen bears and
stuff, but no cougars.
If I saw a cougar, I I don'tknow, shoot, yeah, I don't.
Yeah, well yeah probably.
If I'm seeing it, it's probablythe end true, true, they
probably have seen you, though.
NorCal Guy (12:43):
True, true, they probably have seen you, though,
I'm sure.
Tara Workman (12:45):
Yeah, I mean with photography.
NorCal Guy (12:47):
You're out, you know early mornings, late nights and
yeah sure.
Tara Workman (12:57):
Do you have a favorite food?
Anything sweet anything.
It's not good for me.
I love dessert.
Yeah, tiramisu is what I thinkis the dessert that I've been
craving the most recently, likelighter, you know, yeah, but
sweet Anything.
Sweet, all right.
NorCal Guy (13:18):
That's a solid one.
What's the?
Tara Workman (13:23):
best piece of advice you've been given.
So, um, easily assume goodwillmeaning, and I actually got this
from a training at work.
So, you know, in medicine yousee a lot of people, um, some
people are grumpy, some peopleare rude, but you never know
(13:44):
what you're going through.
Right, right, I kind of I takethat with me.
You know, I'd rather you provethat you're really not nice, and
I prefer to kill you withkindness and let you show me
that you're really not nice thanto just assume that you know,
yeah, that what, what I see atface value, is actually accurate
(14:06):
.
And you know, you'd besurprised, like if you call
people on it, like you know, Ihope you have a better day or
are you doing okay.
You'll be surprised at thereactions that you get.
So that's probably it for me.
NorCal Guy (14:22):
Yeah, that's a solid one.
Tara Workman (14:23):
I mean a lot of people could use that advice I
mean, you know, a lot of peoplehave been burned, that's the one
thing that I've realized, youknow um, yeah, so do you have
advice for artists joining thecrypto art space?
(14:44):
Oh, it's such a tough one.
It's so tough because, even ifyou get the advice, it's hard to
follow it.
I think the big things for mebe yourself, which is really
really hard to do, especiallywhen you see everybody flaunting
their wins and you're temptedto do what they're doing.
(15:07):
But the reality is, the mostsuccessful people are the people
who are doing things their ownway, and they're they're, you
know, carving their own path.
So be yourself as best you can.
And I don't know.
Just just just keep trying toremember why, why you do what
(15:29):
you're what you do.
Like what, what got you intothis space?
Most of us is art and you knowmoney is great, but at the end
of the day, we do the artbecause we love the art, and a
monetary, you know, price tagisn't going to make you feel
better if, if, you're justproducing art for other people.
(15:52):
So just just why you're there?
Um, and it's, it's interestingthat, like I, I see myself as
one of these really self-awarepeople, but seeing actually
putting Bryce Dyke on my artactually changed how I was
shooting.
(16:13):
And yeah, and recently, youknow, like I tried to, I tried
to figure out how to get myselfback there, and only recently
I've been coming out of that.
So you know it's hard.
You can know that you shouldshoot for yourself or create for
yourself, but it's harder to dowhen you're seeing.
(16:33):
You know everything around andyou want to sell it.
NorCal Guy (16:39):
If you could live or move anywhere, where would you
live and why?
Tara Workman (16:48):
I don't know.
I think this is going to, thisis going to be.
This is a bit of a cop-out, butI'm one of those people that I
probably could live most placesif I'm comfortable enough, Like
I grew up in the Caribbean, youknow beautiful beaches.
Moved to Oregon, Beaches arenot as beautiful, but they're
(17:09):
beautiful in a different way.
I'm not swimming in the air,but you know it rains here, but
I'm surrounded by good people,good food.
There are a lot of places thatI love, like New Zealand, Norway
(17:32):
, Switzerland I enjoyed.
There are a lot of places.
I don't know that there'sanywhere that Barbados is always
home for me.
When I say Barbados, I think ofhome.
I've been here for a coupledecades but it's still home.
So I don't know.
I could probably live anywhere,just as long as I'm surrounded
(17:55):
by good people, All right.
NorCal Guy (17:56):
No, that's fair.
That's fair.
Yeah, I feel you on that.
And if there's like a Costco inTrader Joe's, then you're good.
Tara Workman (18:07):
Yes, Cut the comforts like the little things.
You gotta be comfortable.
NorCal Guy (18:09):
You gotta be comfortable do you have any
questions for me?
Tara Workman (18:16):
I do.
The big one, honestly, is likewhat kind of kid were you like
were you?
And without doxing yourself?
Only child.
Were you the mischievous woman?
Kid were you Like were you?
And without doxing yourself,only child?
Were you the mischievous one?
Were you like quiet nerdy jock?
What kind of kid were you.
NorCal Guy (18:36):
I was the oldest, oldest of two.
I have a sister, a youngersister, and I don't know I
didn't, I didn't, I wasn't ajock, I don't know, I didn't, I
didn't, I wasn't a.
I played some sports, but itwasn't like my, my primary thing
(18:56):
.
I had A lot of my friends were,the Were really in the sports,
so I went to like their gamesand whatnot.
But I did like, uh, in school,in high school, we had like this
industrial arts program, um, soI did that.
(19:19):
It was like a four year thing,like if you signed up as a
freshman, you had to do it allfour years and um, so that was
one thing that I did.
I, I really loved it.
So it was a lot of hands-on, umthings with like using lathes,
um wood lathes and metal lathes,and welding and all these
(19:41):
different things with your hands, um, um, I always liked doing
stuff with my hands, um, and so,yeah, that was me growing up
and you know, afterwards, um, Istill, you know, I went to art
school a little later and, andwere you?
Tara Workman (19:59):
were you?
Were you a trouble?
We're like did you get intotrouble a lot Like I was.
Of the three kids, I was theone that always got into trouble
.
I wasn't a terrible kid, Ialways got into trouble.
NorCal Guy (20:09):
No, I know I didn't get into much trouble in school
at all.
Yeah, I didn't get into troublemuch In college.
I didn't do good In college.
I didn't do good.
I didn't do great in college.
(20:33):
I had a lot of interests.
I guess that's part of myproblem, is I have a lot of
interests and I can do a lot ofthings pretty well, so it's hard
to know what you should focuson.
I think you did okay, though.
I think you did okay though.
So you know, I finally just gota business degree and you know,
(20:57):
and found someone that could behave a focused career form that
I could help support, and youknow.
So now I can play with a camerathat I finally I think that's
been fun.
I finally got my hands on it,you know.
So now I can play with a camerathat I finally I think that's
been fun.
I finally got my hands on acamera last year and then just
been having fun with that.
So, getting back into the artthing again, Nice, it all comes
(21:19):
back to art.
Tara Workman (21:20):
It all comes back to art and having fun.
Yeah, yeah.
NorCal Guy (21:22):
Nice yeah, any other questions?
I and having fun.
Yeah, yeah, nice yeah, anyother questions?
Tara Workman (21:28):
I got one more.
NorCal Guy (21:29):
Yeah.
Tara Workman (21:30):
If you could interview, like, do you have
like a, like one person thatyou'd really love to interview,
or a couple of people, and we'reputting it out there, we're
putting it out into the ether,if you do.
NorCal Guy (21:55):
Yeah, I have no idea , that's a hard one, like
there's so many and they like,depending on the topic, or
whatever I mean, and I don'teven feel like I'd be qualified
to interview some of thesepeople.
You know, you're like likesatoshi nakamaru Nakamoto
whoever the frick that guy is.
That'd be awesome.
Tara Workman (22:06):
I'm sure you'd have good questions.
NorCal Guy (22:08):
But besides him, nick Szabo, I'd like to talk to
him.
Ah yeah, and Hal Finney wouldhave been a cool one to talk to,
even though he's passed now.
I think those guys would be.
I guess, more because they'rethe founders of crypto,
(22:30):
basically.
Tara Workman (22:32):
Yeah, nice.
NorCal Guy (22:34):
Yeah, but if we're going to go within this space,
this space that we are currentlyin, of crypto art, that's so
hard, that's so hard.
It'd be interesting to like ifinterviewed coldy the ogs are
(22:59):
nice to interview becausethey're you know, they're kind
of grounded it'd be interestingto see if, like, what x copy
would say in an interview Um,besides him, I don't know, I
guess, I mean I'm not sure I, I,I guess there'd be collectors
(23:23):
would be kind of be cool.
Like it's kind of impossible toget a hold of 6529.
He's so busy that one could begood.
Um, cosimo, yeah, um, but Imean I'm sure I'll land those
guys in in some point.
Tara Workman (23:40):
I have no doubt.
NorCal Guy (23:40):
I just have to keep on, keep on bugging them yeah,
I'm really.
Tara Workman (23:46):
I've really been enjoying the collector series.
It's actually a nice, a nicespin.
NorCal Guy (23:50):
Yeah thanks, thanks, yeah, cool.
Well, any other questions?
Tara Workman (23:56):
no, I think that's it for me all right, well, do
you?
NorCal Guy (23:59):
so this is coming out actually next week, so tell
us about any upcoming projectsyou might have.
Tara Workman (24:08):
Well, so I think I touched on it a little bit.
But, like last year, I'd gonethrough this, you know, creative
lull funk thing where I justwasn't as inspired to shoot and
I I try to shoot my way out ofit.
(24:29):
I booked a bunch of trips and Ihaven't really even processed a
lot of the images from thosetrips.
And then in New York I actuallywent to this paint party and it
was fun.
I didn't know what I was doing.
It was horribly chaotic for mebecause that's not how my brain
(24:51):
works, um, but it made me.
You know, I came home and Istarted looking up like acrylic
paint techniques and differentthings, bought a bunch of stuff
and I started to like make abunch of messes in my, in my
backyard, and I didn't likeanything that I had done.
(25:11):
But what was happening was Icould see little clips and
little pieces of the canvasesthat I liked, and so I just took
out my macro lens and I startedto, you know, just photograph
little sections of it, macrolens.
And I started to, you know,just photograph little sections
of it.
(25:31):
And after a while I actuallyreally, really loved what came
of it.
And so I, um, I created thisseries called the art of letting
go, because it was sort of thisaccidental, just happy accident
.
You know very Bob Ross um wherewhere I don't know.
I made this body of work that Ireally really loved, and so I
(25:54):
made 10 images and I'm releasingthem, two images every Tuesday
over five weeks.
Two have already gone, so we'vegot three weeks to go and it's
been doing really well.
It's called the art of lettinggo and uh, yeah perfect.
NorCal Guy (26:12):
Well, congrats um.
I know you've sold four so farI have.
Tara Workman (26:18):
I have way better than expected in this market.
But yeah, I'm just yeah, I wasjust happy to just release it
and it was kind of likecathartic for me.
So the fact that it resonateswith people just means a lot
yeah, awesome.
NorCal Guy (26:32):
Well, I look forward to the rest of that series.
And do you have any shout outs?
Or do you want to do any shoutouts?
I know you don't have tobecause it can be pressure no,
that's fine.
Tara Workman (26:45):
I, you know for me , for me, it's.
You know, there there are a fewpeople who just make my day
every day in this bear marketand it's like all of the click
create uh discord, you know.
Perp, james, andrew, andrew,like all, melissa, all of them
(27:05):
Just amazing, uh.
And then TJ Thorne, uh, zachand Jared, like they're the ones
that, like, when I'moverthinking everything, they
keep me straight.
NorCal Guy (27:18):
So yeah, yeah, good guys, good people, all those
people are good people.
Tara Workman (27:23):
Indeed.
NorCal Guy (27:24):
Cool.
Well, tara, thank you so muchfor coming on the show today.
I really enjoyed it, and I didtoo.
I hope you have a great day youtoo, thank you perfect all
right, I had drinks before I haddrinks before drinks before
(27:51):
ICal and chill Podcast Show it'schill time.
Norcal and chill Podcast whatthe what the Chill?
(28:14):
Norcal and chill Podcast Showit's chill time.
Norcal and chill Podcast whatthe what the Chill.
Who is this?
Who is this guy?
Who is this guy?
Who is this?
Who is this guy?
Who is this guy?
Who is this guy?
Norcal guy.
Norcal guy.
Norcal guy.
Norcal guy.
Norcal guy NorCal guy, norcalguy, norcal guy.
Norcal and chill podcast.
Chill, it's chill time.
Norcal and chill podcast.
(00:22):
What the fuck?
What the sh-.
What the sh NorCal and ShillPodcast.
So it's shill time.
Norcal and Shill Podcast.
What the sh-.
Tara Workman (00:31):
What the?
NorCal Guy (00:31):
sh-.
Hey everyone, welcome to thisnext episode of NorCal and Shill
.
Today's guest is Tara Workman.
She's a nature photographerfrom Barbados, currently living
in the Pacific Northwest.
Her photography celebratesbeauty in simplicity.
She seeks to ignite theimagination and the viewer's
(00:54):
sense of wonder, most oftenthrough minimalist abstraction.
With a less-is-more approach,she portrays her unique view of
the world and the beauty shesees.
She is a Nat Geo photographerand board member of Miyamo Art.
Everybody, please welcome Tara.
(01:15):
Hey, tara, welcome to thepodcast.
How are you doing today?
Tara Workman (01:19):
Hi, I'm good thanks.
Thanks for having me.
NorCal Guy (01:23):
I am good, thanks.
Thanks for having me.
Uh, you know, I am glad this ishappening.
Um, on a one-on-one versus athree-on-one with uh what.
What happened, though, was thattwo years ago?
Um, yeah, in the comp stompstudio live podcast.
That was pretty fun though itwas fun.
Tara Workman (01:44):
Yeah, it was 2022 um.
It was jenna and johan yeah,yeah it's a good, good time,
first time I met you yeah, yeah,right, right, right with your
big backpack, yeah it was myfirst time doing an in-person
interview.
It was good.
NorCal Guy (02:07):
Thanks and had to bring all the equipment, all the
just-in-cases, because the lastthing you need was everything
to be not working.
Tara Workman (02:21):
Indeed, it worked out well.
I remember it's so differentthis time because I was so
nervous, because you build upthis NorCal guy thing and I'm
just sitting there and I'm likeshit, but yeah no it went well
and I feel way better.
I feel way better this timebetter this time.
NorCal Guy (02:47):
Good, good, I was so nervous about that, you know
what?
Because I was like I think Iwas a couple minutes late,
because I I was like doublechecking everything at the hotel
, making sure everything wasworking, and like I put in the
SD card and I was like readingthe time that was left wrong in
my, like I was seeing it and Iwas reading it wrong and I I was
like Frank, my, my SD card'snot big enough.
How is that possible?
And it just like was confusingme and I like was sitting there,
(03:10):
just like I got, I got to runby B and H on the way over there
, like get this like somemassive thing, and then I don't
know what made me likereconsider the numbers that I
was seeing.
And then I was like, oh,there's hours worth of time and
was like, just, you know, whenyou're nervous, you read things,
you're like looking at thingsway differently and you're like
(03:31):
frank.
Tara Workman (03:31):
No for sure, especially the first one.
Yeah, you did.
Great though you did well, sodid you.
NorCal Guy (03:36):
So did you, thanks.
Um well, jumping right in.
Do you have and use a hardwarewallet?
Tara Workman (03:50):
write in.
Do you have and use a hardwarewallet?
I do.
Um, I actually had one.
So I've been around since 2021and I had one for a really long
time and I I remember setting itup and then never putting
anything on it and then I wasforced to use it when I think it
was some open sea fishing thingand everybody was freaking out
(04:12):
and I remember my friend Jaredcalled me and was like you need
to get everything off yourMetaMask.
NorCal Guy (04:19):
Get everything on your ledger.
Tara Workman (04:21):
I was like I don't even know where it is, I don't
know how to use it.
I was like I don't even knowwhere it is, I don't know how to
use it.
I was freaking out, so luckilynothing got hacked.
Nothing got finished and now Iuse my ledger all the time.
NorCal Guy (04:37):
Oh man, I think that was when they switched their
contracts or something.
Yeah, I remember something likethat.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Tara Workman (04:47):
And it was, I think it was I was working or
something.
Yeah, I remember something likethat.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, and it was,it was, I think it was I was
working or something and I was.
Just I didn't even know wherethe the actual uh ledger was.
NorCal Guy (04:53):
I had to go like hunting uh yeah, oh man, oh man,
after this, after this, I gotto send you something about
Jared Nice.
No, I can't.
Tara Workman (05:12):
What were your first thoughts when you heard
about NFTs?
So, yeah, I was a big skeptic.
I was in it, for actually Iwasn't even in it.
I was in it for actually Iwasn't even in it.
I basically was encouraging myfriend Jared to to get started
and you know, I set upeverything but not really
(05:33):
thinking it was going to beanything.
I actually didn't pay muchattention.
I minted, but I didn't really Ididn't get it and I was pretty
skeptical and I was was likethis guy, vince, is buying
everybody's stuff.
If, if he buys my stuff, great,if not, I don't know.
So I was a huge skeptic tobegin with and I don't think I
(05:58):
really I've told you this beforebut, like 2021, I did not enjoy
.
I didn't like the frenzy.
I didn't like just like mypersonality is, I don't, I don't
like to show myself off, Idon't like to talk about myself.
Um, ironically, here I am, um,but so so I didn't really get it
(06:22):
, I don't think, until probablythe beginning of 2022.
I'd actually disappeared for abit in the fall of 21.
And then I started looking intoit more.
I started learning more aboutcrypto and you know blockchain
technology and all that, andeventually, you know, something
(06:55):
clicked but I didn't want tocome back.
Unless I could come back, youknow more authentically like me.
And so in 2022, I actually gotonboarded to SLOICA and I just
basically came back slower pacedand yeah, I, you know, yeah,
been pretty good since then andyeah, that's good.
21 was mania like insane yeah, Iwas not good at.
(07:17):
I was not good at that at all.
NorCal Guy (07:21):
Neither was I oh, that's debatable so neither was
I.
Oh, oh, that's debatable so whydid you choose art, or what
brought you to art?
Tara Workman (07:35):
so that was pretty accidental.
Um, so I'm a family physicianfull-time and I always liked
taking pictures, but I neverknew how to use a camera.
So one year I think I was 16.
I decided I wanted to buy a newcamera, and rightly so.
(07:57):
My husband challenged me andwas like what do you need a new
camera for?
I don't even know how to usethe old one.
So I was like I just need acamera that I can grow into.
He was like yeah, well, youneed to actually learn.
And so he pushed me to do acourse.
And then I pretty much gotobsessed.
(08:18):
I just I loved the wholeprocess of it and I you know
I've connected with a group ofequally obsessed photographers
and I don't know I just it justkind of took off.
I'm pretty sure we used to playgolf and stuff.
I'm pretty sure he regretspushing me in this direction.
(08:39):
But here we are and you knowit's interesting, like I never
really thought that I wascreative, um, and then a couple
years probably like three, fouryears ago, I don't know I just
started to try to try to see ifI could make a more unique take
on nature photography, becausethere's a lot of photography out
(09:02):
there that's relatively similar, um, and I wasn't as fulfilled
doing that anymore, um, so Ikind of started to divert in my,
in my uh, artistic view and Idon't know.
I started to like muck aroundwith the camera a little bit and
started to actually enjoy itmore.
NorCal Guy (09:24):
Yeah, yeah, got me here.
What jobs have you done alongthe way?
I know you just mentionedphysician, but what else?
Tara Workman (09:36):
yeah, so I'm pretty boring.
So I grew up in barbados andwell, yeah, that that's pretty,
that was pretty sweet but, like,very, very fortunate in that,
you know, education was free, um, up to med school, so I didn't
(09:59):
really have to have a lot of oddjobs and so it was school for
the most part.
I worked for my dad, just doing, you know, clerical work here
and there some of the summersand, uh, taught at a vacation
bible school for one of thesummers, which, yeah, yeah, but
that's good, that's good.
Yeah, I don't know if I'mqualified for that, but I did it
(10:23):
, but I didn't do.
I didn't have a lot of like thecool weird jobs you know
growing up or anything, just medschool residency and yeah.
NorCal Guy (10:37):
Hey, that's all right.
That's all right.
So if you were an animal, whatwould you be and why?
Tara Workman (10:46):
So I've thought about this one.
So I tend to be I tend toactually like people see me,
they think I'm, you know, superchill and super bubbly and you
know people person and all ofthat but I'm actually a pretty
introverted person and Iactually love my solitude.
(11:07):
So my husband and I always jokethat he's like the lab, he's
like this dog and he's supernice and super like everything
is great and I'm kind of the catpersonality worries about
everything is like this needs tobe changed, this needs to
happen.
Um, I also in web three, liketo lurk a lot, so I think I
(11:29):
don't know, probably somethinglike a cougar or some sort of
cat.
You know that just is islooking at everything,
processing everything.
Might not be seen, but I'maround.
NorCal Guy (11:46):
So you're like I'll let my husband be the dog at the
house and you're like I'm goingto be the cougar out in the
wild.
Tara Workman (11:53):
And I'll just attack him sometime.
Not that kind of cougar but yes.
Yeah, I mean, I can see myselfbeing like some sort of cat,
like a cougar, like a tiger orsomething.
Yeah, all right, majestic quiet.
You know, not really seen much.
NorCal Guy (12:16):
So have you seen any in the wild?
Because you'd be out hiking outthere.
I have not.
Tara Workman (12:22):
I freaked out thinking that there were some.
I'm I'm grateful that I haven't, like, I've seen bears and
stuff, but no cougars.
If I saw a cougar, I I don'tknow, shoot, yeah, I don't.
Yeah, well yeah probably.
If I'm seeing it, it's probablythe end true, true, they
probably have seen you, though.
NorCal Guy (12:43):
True, true, they probably have seen you, though,
I'm sure.
Tara Workman (12:45):
Yeah, I mean with photography.
NorCal Guy (12:47):
You're out, you know early mornings, late nights and
yeah sure.
Tara Workman (12:57):
Do you have a favorite food?
Anything sweet anything.
It's not good for me.
I love dessert.
Yeah, tiramisu is what I thinkis the dessert that I've been
craving the most recently, likelighter, you know, yeah, but
sweet Anything.
Sweet, all right.
NorCal Guy (13:18):
That's a solid one.
What's the?
Tara Workman (13:23):
best piece of advice you've been given.
So, um, easily assume goodwillmeaning, and I actually got this
from a training at work.
So, you know, in medicine yousee a lot of people, um, some
people are grumpy, some peopleare rude, but you never know
(13:44):
what you're going through.
Right, right, I kind of I takethat with me.
You know, I'd rather you provethat you're really not nice, and
I prefer to kill you withkindness and let you show me
that you're really not nice thanto just assume that you know,
yeah, that what, what I see atface value, is actually accurate
(14:06):
.
And you know, you'd besurprised, like if you call
people on it, like you know, Ihope you have a better day or
are you doing okay.
You'll be surprised at thereactions that you get.
So that's probably it for me.
NorCal Guy (14:22):
Yeah, that's a solid one.
Tara Workman (14:23):
I mean a lot of people could use that advice I
mean, you know, a lot of peoplehave been burned, that's the one
thing that I've realized, youknow um, yeah, so do you have
advice for artists joining thecrypto art space?
(14:44):
Oh, it's such a tough one.
It's so tough because, even ifyou get the advice, it's hard to
follow it.
I think the big things for mebe yourself, which is really
really hard to do, especiallywhen you see everybody flaunting
their wins and you're temptedto do what they're doing.
(15:07):
But the reality is, the mostsuccessful people are the people
who are doing things their ownway, and they're they're, you
know, carving their own path.
So be yourself as best you can.
And I don't know.
Just just just keep trying toremember why, why you do what
(15:29):
you're what you do.
Like what, what got you intothis space?
Most of us is art and you knowmoney is great, but at the end
of the day, we do the artbecause we love the art, and a
monetary, you know, price tagisn't going to make you feel
better if, if, you're justproducing art for other people.
(15:52):
So just just why you're there?
Um, and it's, it's interestingthat, like I, I see myself as
one of these really self-awarepeople, but seeing actually
putting Bryce Dyke on my artactually changed how I was
shooting.
(16:13):
And yeah, and recently, youknow, like I tried to, I tried
to figure out how to get myselfback there, and only recently
I've been coming out of that.
So you know it's hard.
You can know that you shouldshoot for yourself or create for
yourself, but it's harder to dowhen you're seeing.
(16:33):
You know everything around andyou want to sell it.
NorCal Guy (16:39):
If you could live or move anywhere, where would you
live and why?
Tara Workman (16:48):
I don't know.
I think this is going to, thisis going to be.
This is a bit of a cop-out, butI'm one of those people that I
probably could live most placesif I'm comfortable enough, Like
I grew up in the Caribbean, youknow beautiful beaches.
Moved to Oregon, Beaches arenot as beautiful, but they're
(17:09):
beautiful in a different way.
I'm not swimming in the air,but you know it rains here, but
I'm surrounded by good people,good food.
There are a lot of places thatI love, like New Zealand, Norway
(17:32):
, Switzerland I enjoyed.
There are a lot of places.
I don't know that there'sanywhere that Barbados is always
home for me.
When I say Barbados, I think ofhome.
I've been here for a coupledecades but it's still home.
So I don't know.
I could probably live anywhere,just as long as I'm surrounded
(17:55):
by good people, All right.
NorCal Guy (17:56):
No, that's fair.
That's fair.
Yeah, I feel you on that.
And if there's like a Costco inTrader Joe's, then you're good.
Tara Workman (18:07):
Yes, Cut the comforts like the little things.
You gotta be comfortable.
NorCal Guy (18:09):
You gotta be comfortable do you have any
questions for me?
Tara Workman (18:16):
I do.
The big one, honestly, is likewhat kind of kid were you like
were you?
And without doxing yourself?
Only child.
Were you the mischievous woman?
Kid were you Like were you?
And without doxing yourself,only child?
Were you the mischievous one?
Were you like quiet nerdy jock?
What kind of kid were you.
NorCal Guy (18:36):
I was the oldest, oldest of two.
I have a sister, a youngersister, and I don't know I
didn't, I didn't, I wasn't ajock, I don't know, I didn't, I
didn't, I wasn't a.
I played some sports, but itwasn't like my, my primary thing
(18:56):
.
I had A lot of my friends were,the Were really in the sports,
so I went to like their gamesand whatnot.
But I did like, uh, in school,in high school, we had like this
industrial arts program, um, soI did that.
(19:19):
It was like a four year thing,like if you signed up as a
freshman, you had to do it allfour years and um, so that was
one thing that I did.
I, I really loved it.
So it was a lot of hands-on, umthings with like using lathes,
um wood lathes and metal lathes,and welding and all these
(19:41):
different things with your hands, um, um, I always liked doing
stuff with my hands, um, and so,yeah, that was me growing up
and you know, afterwards, um, Istill, you know, I went to art
school a little later and, andwere you?
Tara Workman (19:59):
were you?
Were you a trouble?
We're like did you get intotrouble a lot Like I was.
Of the three kids, I was theone that always got into trouble
.
I wasn't a terrible kid, Ialways got into trouble.
NorCal Guy (20:09):
No, I know I didn't get into much trouble in school
at all.
Yeah, I didn't get into troublemuch In college.
I didn't do good In college.
I didn't do good.
I didn't do great in college.
(20:33):
I had a lot of interests.
I guess that's part of myproblem, is I have a lot of
interests and I can do a lot ofthings pretty well, so it's hard
to know what you should focuson.
I think you did okay, though.
I think you did okay though.
So you know, I finally just gota business degree and you know,
(20:57):
and found someone that could behave a focused career form that
I could help support, and youknow.
So now I can play with a camerathat I finally I think that's
been fun.
I finally got my hands on it,you know.
So now I can play with a camerathat I finally I think that's
been fun.
I finally got my hands on acamera last year and then just
been having fun with that.
So, getting back into the artthing again, Nice, it all comes
(21:19):
back to art.
Tara Workman (21:20):
It all comes back to art and having fun.
Yeah, yeah.
NorCal Guy (21:22):
Nice yeah, any other questions?
I and having fun.
Yeah, yeah, nice yeah, anyother questions?
Tara Workman (21:28):
I got one more.
NorCal Guy (21:29):
Yeah.
Tara Workman (21:30):
If you could interview, like, do you have
like a, like one person thatyou'd really love to interview,
or a couple of people, and we'reputting it out there, we're
putting it out into the ether,if you do.
NorCal Guy (21:55):
Yeah, I have no idea , that's a hard one, like
there's so many and they like,depending on the topic, or
whatever I mean, and I don'teven feel like I'd be qualified
to interview some of thesepeople.
You know, you're like likesatoshi nakamaru Nakamoto
whoever the frick that guy is.
That'd be awesome.
Tara Workman (22:06):
I'm sure you'd have good questions.
NorCal Guy (22:08):
But besides him, nick Szabo, I'd like to talk to
him.
Ah yeah, and Hal Finney wouldhave been a cool one to talk to,
even though he's passed now.
I think those guys would be.
I guess, more because they'rethe founders of crypto,
(22:30):
basically.
Tara Workman (22:32):
Yeah, nice.
NorCal Guy (22:34):
Yeah, but if we're going to go within this space,
this space that we are currentlyin, of crypto art, that's so
hard, that's so hard.
It'd be interesting to like ifinterviewed coldy the ogs are
(22:59):
nice to interview becausethey're you know, they're kind
of grounded it'd be interestingto see if, like, what x copy
would say in an interview Um,besides him, I don't know, I
guess, I mean I'm not sure I, I,I guess there'd be collectors
(23:23):
would be kind of be cool.
Like it's kind of impossible toget a hold of 6529.
He's so busy that one could begood.
Um, cosimo, yeah, um, but Imean I'm sure I'll land those
guys in in some point.
Tara Workman (23:40):
I have no doubt.
NorCal Guy (23:40):
I just have to keep on, keep on bugging them yeah,
I'm really.
Tara Workman (23:46):
I've really been enjoying the collector series.
It's actually a nice, a nicespin.
NorCal Guy (23:50):
Yeah thanks, thanks, yeah, cool.
Well, any other questions?
Tara Workman (23:56):
no, I think that's it for me all right, well, do
you?
NorCal Guy (23:59):
so this is coming out actually next week, so tell
us about any upcoming projectsyou might have.
Tara Workman (24:08):
Well, so I think I touched on it a little bit.
But, like last year, I'd gonethrough this, you know, creative
lull funk thing where I justwasn't as inspired to shoot and
I I try to shoot my way out ofit.
(24:29):
I booked a bunch of trips and Ihaven't really even processed a
lot of the images from thosetrips.
And then in New York I actuallywent to this paint party and it
was fun.
I didn't know what I was doing.
It was horribly chaotic for mebecause that's not how my brain
(24:51):
works, um, but it made me.
You know, I came home and Istarted looking up like acrylic
paint techniques and differentthings, bought a bunch of stuff
and I started to like make abunch of messes in my, in my
backyard, and I didn't likeanything that I had done.
(25:11):
But what was happening was Icould see little clips and
little pieces of the canvasesthat I liked, and so I just took
out my macro lens and I startedto, you know, just photograph
little sections of it, macrolens.
And I started to, you know,just photograph little sections
of it.
(25:31):
And after a while I actuallyreally, really loved what came
of it.
And so I, um, I created thisseries called the art of letting
go, because it was sort of thisaccidental, just happy accident
.
You know very Bob Ross um wherewhere I don't know.
I made this body of work that Ireally really loved, and so I
(25:54):
made 10 images and I'm releasingthem, two images every Tuesday
over five weeks.
Two have already gone, so we'vegot three weeks to go and it's
been doing really well.
It's called the art of lettinggo and uh, yeah perfect.
NorCal Guy (26:12):
Well, congrats um.
I know you've sold four so farI have.
Tara Workman (26:18):
I have way better than expected in this market.
But yeah, I'm just yeah, I wasjust happy to just release it
and it was kind of likecathartic for me.
So the fact that it resonateswith people just means a lot
yeah, awesome.
NorCal Guy (26:32):
Well, I look forward to the rest of that series.
And do you have any shout outs?
Or do you want to do any shoutouts?
I know you don't have tobecause it can be pressure no,
that's fine.
Tara Workman (26:45):
I, you know for me , for me, it's.
You know, there there are a fewpeople who just make my day
every day in this bear marketand it's like all of the click
create uh discord, you know.
Perp, james, andrew, andrew,like all, melissa, all of them
(27:05):
Just amazing, uh.
And then TJ Thorne, uh, zachand Jared, like they're the ones
that, like, when I'moverthinking everything, they
keep me straight.
NorCal Guy (27:18):
So yeah, yeah, good guys, good people, all those
people are good people.
Tara Workman (27:23):
Indeed.
NorCal Guy (27:24):
Cool.
Well, tara, thank you so muchfor coming on the show today.
I really enjoyed it, and I didtoo.
I hope you have a great day youtoo, thank you perfect all
right, I had drinks before I haddrinks before drinks before
(27:51):
ICal and chill Podcast Show it'schill time.
Norcal and chill Podcast whatthe what the Chill?
(28:14):
Norcal and chill Podcast Showit's chill time.
Norcal and chill Podcast whatthe what the Chill.
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