From struggle to recognition: How one mom's art made its way to Ogden's streets

OGDEN — An Army veteran and Pacific Islander who spent years navigating life after trauma has discovered that healing can come through the simplest of acts: picking up a paintbrush.

Tawni Jae Sherlock, a Weber State University student in the free Venture Course in the Humanities, credits the program with reconnecting her to art and, ultimately, to herself.

"Art has been something that's been a part of my soul," Sherlock said. "And coming back to it now as an adult, I've just found so much healing in it."

Sherlock was born in Guam and moved to Utah in 2000 when her family relocated to Hill Air Force Base due to downsizing. After serving in the military, she returned home to her family but struggles with PTSD and personal trauma, which have taken their toll. When she decided to return to school, she discovered Weber State's Venture Course in the Humanities, a free evening program taught by college faculty. The course proved transformative.

"What I loved about it was we read a book called 'The Alchemist,'" Sherlock said. "And in that book, it really taught you to connect with yourself when you were younger because you've always known who you are."

The perspective shift extended beyond the classroom. Sherlock began hosting paint nights with her family, drawing inspiration from Bob Ross videos as she and her children created together.

"What makes it fun is that we're all together and we're all painting. We all connect more. We have more family time, and it keeps us present," she said.

The real breakthrough came when an artist in residence challenged Sherlock and her classmates to create surreal art inspired by the Great Salt Lake. Combining animal and human elements with desert materials, Sherlock created a piece she titled "Betsy," a buffalo with a woman's face, wings and cactus flowers woven throughout. Her artwork was selected to be featured on Ogden's public transit buses, a recognition that Sherlock never imagined.

"It's enough that one of my daughters, she goes, 'Yeah, my mom's (art is) literally on a bus." That's a proud moment," Sherlock said.

Now, as Sherlock navigates school and career transitions, she credits her instructors with believing in her potential.

"They really want us to know that there are people who are there to fight for you and really want you to go to college and to find your dreams," she said.

Sherlock's journey is a testament to the power of second chances and to the arts' remarkable ability to heal.

The Venture Course in the Humanities is accepting applications for the fall 2026 cohort. Classes begin Sept. 8. For more information, contact Alex McDonald, Venture director, at alexmcdonald@weber.edu.

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