Alyssa Book - Alumni Artist

"Alyssa Book is a South Florida mixed-media artist operating as Tufty. She is known for her vibrant use of color, nostalgic imagery, and playful approach to art. Working across textiles, murals, painting, and public art, Tufty creates work that feels familiar and joyful while exploring the ways color, memory, and creativity can bring healing into a space.

Tufty found her way to art after the birth of her son. While struggling with postpartum depression and searching for a way to reconnect with herself, she found creativity to be a place to escape, process, play, and eventually heal. That experience continues to shape her practice and her belief in the healing power of vibrant color and the comfort that can be found in nostalgia.

Her work often pulls from familiar imagery, childhood memories, whimsical aesthetics, and bold color—things that invite people in before asking them to look a little closer. Tufty is interested in creating art that can shift the feeling of a space, whether that means bringing someone joy, reminding them of something they had forgotten, or simply giving them a moment to feel good.

Her current body of work turns that same colorful and nostalgic lens toward female empowerment, exploring women's experiences, resilience, and the ways women have been expected to exist throughout history. Even as the subject matter becomes heavier, Tufty's work remains bright and approachable, using joy, color, and familiarity as a way into deeper conversations."

Instagram: @wearetufty