Tanja Riese was born in Melbourne in 1965. Her family returned to Germany for several years before settling in Sydney. In the mid eighties Tanja completed a Batchelor of Arts at Sydney Colledge of the Arts specialising in printmaking, before attending Canberra School of Arts to attain a Graduate Diploma.

Since 1992 Tanja has lived and worked on the far South Coast of NSW. Inspiration for her prints is found in the patterns and forms that occur in the natural environment as well as those created by human activity. This subject matter is approached with an intensity and intimacy that reflects an emotional connection to her surroundings and experiences. Intaglio printmaking allows these themes to be explored using the fine detail that is characteristic of these techniques.