Conversations with Tina Smith

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tina Smith. 

Hi Tina, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
As a writer, artist, and all-around techie, I have been creating things for most of my life. My work focuses on several themes – from help with anxiety and depression to country music and my love of the lessons the genre has taught me. After the loss of my parents, I found my strength in writing and creating. I’ve always done a lot of both in my life, but it wasn’t until the last few years that I realized it was the only thing that gave me purpose – and peace. I am a huge Reba fan so a lot of the work I do reflects her and her music. She saved my life in a way that put me on this path and I will be forever grateful to her. Her music and kind heart gave me strength and course when I felt I couldn’t go on. But that’s a story for another day. My artwork, video creation, and words I write every day have become my soul, my dream, my life. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My road has definitely been a challenging one; I wasn’t rich, so top-of-the-line gadgets and art tools were never an option for me. After my mom and dad passed away, I couldn’t function for a year. I drank a lot and fell into a very deep and scary depression. I wanted to die. But one very important day changed all that. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’ve been writing and creating my whole life; I wrote my first poem when I was five years old and haven’t stopped since. Country Music art is my specialty, and I’ve done many pieces of many artists – Keith Urban, The Judds, Johnny Cash, Tim McGraw, Reba, Rascal Flatts, Loretta Lynn, and many more. I’m very proud of a video I created for a contest my employer was holding in celebration of Ken Burns’ documentary on Country Music. The video is entitled Country Music – the Light at the End of my Tunnel. Although I didn’t win first place, that video remains one of my favorite pieces. 

I am known specifically for my Reba art and daily lessons I post on social media. My Facebook page has over 7000 followers and I’ve created calendars for the last 5 years, donating a portion of the proceeds to Reba’s Ranch House. 

I love what I do. Although I have a full-time management job during the day, I hope one day to be able to create something special for one of my favorite artists and be on the road to making my dream come true. 

Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Two things make my life happy. The first is my cat – Zoey. She’s 17 years old and the light of my life. Unconditional love from a pet – there’s nothing like it. 

The second is Music and the art it inspires me to create. Although I listen to all genres, country music has my heart. There is always a song with words that I need to hear at any given time in the day. When I create a piece, specifically my daily lessons, and someone messages me and says, “thank you, I needed that today.” it gives me a feeling like no other. I’m glad I was able to help someone through a difficult time. 

Contact Info:

• Email: countryrocksbysb@gmail.com
• Website: www.countryrocksbysb.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tina_aka_rebarocks/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rebarocks4ever/