Shayna Tate was born in Toronto and raised in Ottawa, Canada. She found joy in creating art as a child, and has continued to create art ever since. She has studied at Canterbury Arts Highschool, Ontario College of Art and Design (OCAD) and the University of Ottawa. She has worked on developing her art for the last ten years, mostly as a portrait artist. She also has taught art to young children at a Montessori School.
Shayna's art explores many styles, concentrating on light and emotion. Shayna says; "My objective is to capture the emotional element in every painting. I concentrate on the individualistic beauty of the subject that I'm working on and how the light and brushstroke contribute to the mood and feelings of the piece."
Shayna's artwork is influenced by the female role models in her life. She and her sister were raised by a strong, loving mother and grandmother. These female influences, as well as her own feelings and emotions appear in her art. The music, photography and palate knife painting of her father and grandfather have also impressed Shayna and remain as a part of what drives her.
Shayna loves the calmness and joy that art provides in viewing her subjects in new ways, and as well, the simplistic joy of just mixing colours and pushing the paint around her canvas.
"There is a peaceful place that I'm in when I paint. It is one of the only times when I'm living completely in the moment. When the rush of our daily lives is on pause. This is what I appreciate about my job and I hope that people viewing my art feel something similar."

Shayna is currently working toward her Bachelor of Education at the University of Ottawa.