Gypsy Cat Studios

I am TonyaMarie, artist, and creative director, owner, accountant, wearer of all  hats of Gypsy Cat Studios. I am also a mother of two , Charline 25, and Michael 28 and pet owner of 6 ancient cats.

I have a BFA from Columbus College of Art and Design where I focused on sculpture, 3- Dimensional Illustration, fashion/costume design.

I am currently completing my MFA at the Academy of Art in San Francisco, CA. Sculpture Major- mixed media with a focus on fabric as medium.

I have been creating full costume and set collections for over a dozen childrens theater productions in the East Bay for the last 3 yrs and various other custom pieces such as clothing, and window displays, and sculpture.

My first "art for a living" job which first inspired me to go for it was sculpting concrete exhibit art at Cincinnati Zoo. Later, when I saw Julie Taymor's Exhibit of the Behind the Scenes of the making of Lion King, I was hooked for life and applied to art school.

While working as Head Designer of a Mascot Character/costume company and earning my BFA at Columbus College of Art and Design in Ohio I started Gypsy Cat Studios ,Jan 1 of 2007 to pursue being a freelance artist and to someday travel while I complete my work in different areas of the world -hopefully raising money for animal causes. I started my traveling in 2008 when I packed up my best friend, 8 rescue cats,pet blind squirrell, saws and sewing machines into an 18 ft Uhaul and headed across the country to California where I am currently completing my MFA at Academy of Art University in Sculpture with a focus on fabric as medium of choice.

 Business History

Gypsy Cat Studios started 1-1-2007

"Gypsy Cat Studios" is a Federally  Trademarked Name with rights belonging solely to me in all of the USA as of 2007 in categories including clothing, costume, accessories, and sculpture and may not be used by any other person/company in conjunction with those products . This also pertains to Gypsy Cat. (due to "public confusion" rules of  trademark).

Special Notes

I am very much an animal person and vegetarian and support animal rights, so my work is very often inspired by animals. I refuse to use animal skins or furs in my work and I donate to animal causes yearly through my business. In 2011, Gypsy Cat Studios donated a 7 ft. redwood sculpture (valued over $1000)that  I created for the zoo's eagle "Sureshot" to have additional perches since she cannot fly.  Check it out if you visit the zoo and hint- take your binoculars to see my secret on the sculpture :)