Tyna Ontko grew up in the Pacific Northwest and is a graduate of Bremerton High School, a 2009 graduate from Olympic College with an Associates of Arts degree through the Running Start program, and a 2013 graduate from Western Washington University with a bachelor’s in fine arts.

She has volunteered at the Bremerton Community Theater, West Sound Arts Council, Bremerton High School Performing Arts Center, Allied Arts of Whatcom County, the Whatcom Museum, Western Washington University Print Studio, Tacoma Musical Playhouse and Ghost Gallery in Seattle.

Her activities include benefit auctions, art walk events, gallery attendant, backstage crew, theater set, art exhibition installation, printmaking studio technician/monitor, archive building, web presence and marketing, Allied Arts children’s art walk and organizing and fundraising for students to attend the annual Southern Graphics Council International Printmaking Conference in New Orleans and Milwaukee.

She has worked at the Frye Art Museum and the Seattle Art Museum, with North Seattle College as a continuing education instructor focusing on printmaking, and short-term teaching and lecturing positions at artist residency sites including the Black Church Print Studio in Dublin, Ireland, Pyramid Atlantic Arts Center in Silver Spring, Maryland, and the Pratt Fine Arts Center in Seattle.

She received many grants and stipends for her travel including from Pratt Fine Arts Center Seattle, Artist Trust Seattle, the Western Washington University art department, where she earned the Outstanding Graduate award, Southern Graphics Council International through their Undergraduate Fellowship, as well as the Seattle Print Arts Larry Sommers Fellowship.

Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in Sound Publishing’s Special Section, “Women of Achievement.”