Tina Borchert of Millersville likes to weave humor into her paintings, but in a way that doesn't interfere with the sincerity of her subject matter. The Millersville University graduate's passion for painting started when she was a child, and although Borchert has greatly expanded her arsenal of techniques and skills since then, her work retains a childlike sincerity and candid humor.

Borchert grew up in Honesdale, a small town in northeastern Pennsylvania. As a young child, she spent a lot of her time around her retired grandmother, who painted for several hours each day. Borchert recalled fondly watching her grandmother paint flowers, and she became enamored with paintbrushes, canvases and anything that had to do with making art. "My mom got me one of those easels that was half chalkboard, half whiteboard with a roll of paper you could pull down," said Borchert with a smile. "I eventually took a lot of art classes in middle school and high school, and it just felt like the path I was on."

Although Borchert already felt called to a career as an artist when she was in high school, she didn't consider it a viable path for the future. Borchert planned to study English in college with the eventual goal of teaching English as a Second Language. In 2019, Borchert made a last-minute decision to change her major before she started her first year of classes at Millersville University. But her doubts about pursuing a career as an artist were persistent, so Borchert compromised and decided to major in art education. During her sophomore year, Borchert changed her major to fine arts. "I realized that I just wanted to make art. I didn't want to teach it; I was only interested in the craft and making part of it," she explained.

Borchert credits Millersville University's frequent guest artists and shows in the Eckert Art Gallery with introducing her to fresh perspectives from outside the school. She prefers to work with paint, and her subject matter typically incorporates things that she finds funny or absurd. One of Borchert's paintings, titled "A Jar Full of Clown Noses," depicts the odd combination of a clown and specific food items. "I was exploring food - specifically old, canned food and their design - and I thought things like Spam and Vienna sausages looked funny," said Borchert. The title suggests that, despite its appearance at first glance, the jar in the painting may not actually be filled with maraschino cherries.

Although Borchert's artistic humor is influenced by her affinity for the absurd, each of her paintings is earnest and heartfelt. There are no complex layers to dissect or grand philosophical declaration hidden in the background; Borchert finds a can of Spam sitting next to a clown doll a funny sight, and her work consistently weaves in elements of silly but wholesome comedy. One of Borchert's other paintings depicts the front of local Asian restaurant Ginmiya. At first glance, the piece seems to be a random and absurd choice of subject matter, but Ginmiya is one of Borchert's favorite dinner spots, and the painting captures the warmth and comfortability it provides her.

Another one of Borchert's paintings is an adaptation of the famous painting "Madonna and Child," but showcasing both subjects as wearing tomatoes on their heads. The painting was featured as a selected juror piece in "Embodied Emotions," a show that was held at Lancaster Art Vault in downtown Lancaster until mid-January. Borchert rents a space in Lancaster Art Vault's WithDRAWal Room, a membership-based, collaborative space for artists to share as they create.

For more information about Borchert and her work, visit http://www.tinaborchert.com.