About Tessa Koller

My name is Tessa Koller, and welcome to my new website. A native of St. Charles, Illinois, I spent my childhood drawing, painting, and illustrating stories to cope with chronic illnesses. Creating art was once a way of processing emotions and what was happening around me—at home and school. Throughout my elementary, middle, and high school years, I continued doing art and never stopped. I exhibited drawings and paintings at bookstores, restaurants, cafés, and the local St. Charles Public Library.

In 2008, I was diagnosed with the rare genetic disorder, DiGeorge Syndrome or 22Q11.2 Deletion Syndrome, and earned my Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree. In 2009, I discovered I had a genetic heart defect, produced dozens of paintings, and took sewing classes where I learned the craft of designing women’s clothing. At the time, I was living in Milwaukee, where I attended the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design. After I learned more about my health and genetic condition, the most creative period of my life began.

For fifteen years, I lived in Wisconsin and reached out to the media to raise awareness of 22Q, heart disease, and other health conditions. Through art and fashion, I promoted awareness and educated the public about 22Q and its associated conditions. Thanks to the International 22Q11.2 Foundation, I traveled to multiple countries in Europe and delivered speeches about my health and art journey.

In 2024, I closed my sewing business to pursue art full-time and went on to master watercolor painting, colored pencils, and graphite. Today, I teach art enthusiasts on YouTube at Tessa Koller Art and share my creative processes in various mediums. I’m also on Instagram at Tessa Koller Art, which, people tell me, looks like a contemporary online art gallery. Additionally, you can find me creating art at local coffee shops and libraries in St. Charles, teaching online, and teaching offline with the St. Charles Arts Council.