Welcome to
Dream Topography
Where aerial landscapes and microscopic worlds converge
About
Tara Gillespie (b.1983, Baltimore, MD) is an abstract artist with a passion for contemporary art. In 2018 she started mixing her own acrylic paints and experimenting with resin, amongst other materials, and her practice has evolved since. Her studio is based in Timonium, MD.
“Throughout my life I’ve created visual art, films, and written works. However, it wasn’t until I began mixing acrylics and discovered resin that I realized this was the medium I’d been searching for. Fluid art gives me spontaneity, peace, and immediate satisfaction. My intention as I pour is to let go of my attached desire and to be present with the process. In this way, I feel fluid art is a mindful art practice.
Tara reveals her techniques in her studio offering in-person fluid and epoxy resin art classes for adults and children. She also offers these classes as an instructor at Manor Mill in Monkton, Maryland. Tara enjoys exhibiting in the fine art festival circuit participating in The Marco Island National Fine Art Show, The Bethesda Fine Art Festival, The American Craft Made Convention, Artscape, the Manayunk Arts Festival, the VisArts Rockville Fine Arts Festival, and the Chevy Chase Fine Art Festival. Upcoming exhibitions/classes are announced on this website and on her instagram (@taragill_art) as they are confirmed.
Artist Statement
My work aims to connect our world with the spiritual. Mindfulness and energetic interconnectedness are themes I currently explore. In my process I exploit the properties of paint and resin to create ethereal and nature-inspired works that mimic and transcend reality. I call my work “Dream Topography” because I feel my pieces evolve to resemble 3-dimensional maps where the viewer has an aerial view through layers of form in nature including atmosphere, landforms, minerals, water bodies, plant life, and cellular structures. What appears to one observer as a view of the universe may, to another, resemble the hidden worlds revealed beneath a microscope. By capturing both the cosmic and the cellular, my paintings remind us that the vast and the infinitesimally small can evoke the same sense of wonder, and that the same patterns and energy shape galaxies and cells alike. This suggests a deep interconnectedness between all scales of existence.
Description of Material and Technique
My work is created through mixed media processes using acrylic paint, mica powders, alcohol inks, pigments, epoxy resin, organic structural materials, such as balsa wood and rattan, and natural found objects. I work on custom-built wood panels building modular compositions, often constructing custom molds and surfaces that allow the material to flow and react organically. Many of the natural elements incorporated into the work including seashells, palm fronds, and pressed botanicals are personally foraged and collected creating a direct physical connection to the environments that inspire the work. Through repeated layering, sanding, and resin pours each surface develops depth, translucency, texture, and dimensionality. The work is process-driven and rooted in fluid movement, material interaction and shifting scales of perception, resulting in abstract “micro-worlds” that can be interpreted as aerial landscapes, geological formations, microscopic structures, or imagined environments.
Artscape this year was cold, rainy, and definitely slower than last year financially but I’d still do it all over again.
Events like this remind me that art isn’t only about profit. It’s about the people. It’s about spending the weekend alongside fellow artists, reconnecting with repeat collectors, hugging friends who stop by the booth every year, and sharing conversations with people who genuinely connect to the work.
To everyone who came out despite the weather, supported artists, checked in, purchased artwork, or simply stopped to say hello, thank you. 😊 Your support means more than you know, especially during challenging weekends like this. ❤️
A big thank you to my fellow artist friends:
@drawnmetalstudios
@become_spellbound
artistedwinlester
@mattmuirheadartist
#baltimorearts #baltimoreartscape #baltimore #artistlife #artistsupportartists
This week I’ve been creating lots of stunning coasters for Artscape. These are not an overnight thing and take several days of epoxy resin layers and sanding to get that perfect reflective shine. I’ve got 100 ready for the festival, new color palettes and edges painted in both gold & now silver! Each one is a micro-world/mini-universe and I couldn’t be more obsessed ✨🌌
#dopaminedecor #epoxyresin #rainbowdecor #handmade #oneofakindgifts
Are ya’ll ready for a dreamy Artscape?! ☁️ This festival is always my favorite show of the year. Come see me and my new work this weekend in Booth A64. I’ll also be having an archival sale with 30%+ off earlier work.
#artscapebmore #bmorecreatives #bmoreart #baltimoreartist #bmoreevents
Studio views on a sunny Saturday ☀️ I love being in the studio when there’s no where to be. I can arrive as late as I want and stay as late as I need 😂 Today I’m finishing up the class projects from my Mothers Day (trays & coasters) and making lots of colorful small items for Artscape which is this Memorial weekend!
#artstudıo #studiolife #saturdayvibes #mixedmediaart #workinghardorhardlyworking
We had another lovely Mother’s Day workshop at Manor Mill. Participants made beautiful floral trays, coasters, and book marks using dried flowers. Everyone said the experience was so relaxing and fun. It’s the perfect craft to celebrate the special day 🥰💐 @manormillmonkton
#mothersday #resincraft #flowers #craftymama #meditativeart
We had another birthday in the studio yesterday. The girls had so much fun creating with UV resin and flex rubber that they didn’t want to stop 😂 The parents said this was the quietest birthday party they’ve ever attended because the girls were so engaged. Happy Birthday Sadie! Thanks so much for celebrating in the studio.
#creative #birthdaypartyideasforkids #uvresin #kidscrafts #craftykids
Close-ups of pieces I brought to VisArts for my booth. My booth looked totally different this year (more cohesive and elevated) and I couldn’t be more proud of how my work has matured over the last 8 months. My work reflects my inner world and has explored several styles over the years (all of which felt authentic and organic at the time) but I’ve recently taken it all into a new modular direction that is not only the most exciting for me to create but also very aligned with what I’m feeling and trying to bring to my work. Working small on each tile as it’s own micro-world and/or mini galaxy and “piecing” them together to create a larger aerial landscape (bringing in mixed media materials from nature) is IT for me. Each piece reflects the shifting perspective between cellular and universal and the interconnected nature of form and pattern. It feels amazing to have arrived.✨✨✨
I hope you like the new feel of Dream Topography. If you’re still hoping for something from my archive collections please reach out as all earlier work is being sold at 30+% off. I still have a handful of pieces left so shoot me an email with interest.
#modularart #mixedmedia #art #alignment #dreamtopography
Booth pic VisArts 2026!
#artfestival #visarts #VisArtsRockville #RAF26 #RockvilleArtsFestival
