Tamara H. Zollinger was born and raised in Tremonton, Utah and graduated from Bear River High School in 1961. Tamara attended Utah State University for two years before getting married to H. Clair Zollinger and raising a family of 11 children.

After most of her children were graduated, Tamara went back to Utah State University and graduated with a degree in Elementary Education. She was hired by the Box Elder School District and taught 1st through 7th grades over the next 14 years. During this time, Tamara received her Masters of Education degree with a minor in Visual Arts. She is presently retired from the public school system.

Tamara works with the Utah Arts Council as an Artist in Resident throughout the state of Utah. With an emphasis on Book Arts, she teaches students different art techniques that are used in picture books. During the residencies, the students write, illustrate, and publish their own stories.

Tamara also works with Community Nursing Services where she does art therapy with students who have physical and emotional needs. She travels to the homes of these students and works with them using the book arts as therapy. These young people write, illustrate, and publish books about themselves and their families.

Tamara has been involved in the visual arts both personally and in the public school setting for the past 20 years. Her love of the book arts has led to two published books with two different Native American Tribes: The Confederated Tribes of the Goshute with Pia Toya, and the Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation with Coyote Steals Fire. Both Tamara and Shari Zollinger worked with the Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation to write, illustrate, and publish Coyote Steals Fire. During the making of the book, they traveled to Brigham City to the Shoshone’s cultural center where they taught the art techniques to those participating in the book. The tribe members ranged in ages from 3 years old to the Elders of the Tribe. Coyote Steals Fire will be presented at the book festival on Saturday, October 28.

Tamara Zollinger will appear on Saturday, Oct. 21, 10 am–5 pm, in the Salt Lake City Main Library, 4th Floor Conference Room.