Tuininga is a native of New Hampshire. She began painting in watercolor about 18 years ago. What began as therapy from a debilitating illness, grew into a passion for the arts. She studied with master watercolorist Byron Carr of Contoocook, New Hampshire, then joined the Laconia Art Association, and had her first solo show at the Penacook Library in Penacook, New Hampshire in 1996, entitled "The Windows of Penacook.” This series combined her love for the village's historical architecture, and for painting. In an earlier event she won a blue ribbon from the NH Art Association/ Boscawen Old Home Day for her painting “Iris”.

 

    In 2000, she moved to Keene New Hampshire to  attend Keene State College where she pursued a BA degree in Graphic Design with a minor in Art History. It is here that she studied with Peter Roos and developed the oil and cold wax technique for which she has become known. While a student, she had work chosen to be exhibited in two of the student Emerging Artists exhibits.  She also had her work in a summer exhibit entitled Passionate Pursuits, which encompassed examples of hobbies from the entire KSC family, held at the Thorne Sagendorph Gallery.

 

    A move to Binghamton, NY in 2003 to attend Graduate School at SUNY Binghamton, allowed her to pursue a major in the History of Art and Architecture. Her involvement with the arts and her painting continued as she organized and participated in an employee art exhibit entitled Passionate Pursuits after Hours in conjunction with The Family & Children’s Society’s 65th Anniversary Open House held at Terracotta in Binghamton. In the past ten years, she has exhibited  in various venues throughout the Binghamton area. She has exhibited in the annual Rude and Bold Womens Show and her work was juried and accepted The 2010 WSKG-TV Art in Motion Competition and six different New York Cities Tour.  She was one of the featured artists in the October 2011 online art magazine http://www.imagine-revuedart.com. She is a member of the Broome County Arts Council.

 

    Tuininga said that she thinks “painting is a healthy obsession.” Each piece “comes from my heart.” Evolving each & every time she lays paint upon the canvas, her work has many faces, often reflecting her interest in the blending of the Spanish & American Indian cultures, which can be seen in work reminiscent of Mexican Casta painters Cabrera & Berrueco. She is heavily influenced by Van Gogh in her landscapes & Pollock in her abstractions. But often it is her own spirituality emerges as she works through life’s trials & tribulations.​   

 

    The technique for which she is most noted is a combination of oils & cold wax, which allows her to build up the surface of the canvas, giving it a rich textural appearance. “I find that people cannot resist touching my paintings. The texture of the paint, wax, & the swirls of vibrant color enliven the viewer’s spirit. The impressions left by the palette knife draw their eye & their mind into the heart of the painting.” She said that her objectives are based on a simple principle, "I have had enough heartache in my life, so consequently, I want my work to bring joy into the lives of the people who view my paintings." “While I occasionally make political statements in my work, I am not usually about complex theories. I am simply about sharing the emotional 'joie de vive'”.  She said that if she has accomplished this goal then it brings pleasure to her life as well.