Tanya Read graduated from the Ontario College of Art and Design in 1995 and since then she has been active in the Toronto art community. She was an organizer and founder of the Impure artists collective in Toronto from 1994 - 1998. In 1999 Read and partner Scott Carruthers opened a storefront exhibition space called Fly Gallery in the Queen St. W. neighbourhood of Toronto. Tanya and Scott exhibited and curated artists in the gallery until it closed in 2012. Tanya is currently a board member of the 8 fest small-gauge international film festival.

Tanya created a character called Mr. Nobody in 1998 and since then her art practice has focused on projects featuring this character. Read has made super 8 animations, drawings, sculputre, silk screened t-shirts and video all featuring Mr. Nobody. Her work has been exhibited internationally and received extensive critical acclaim. When not spending time making art, she enjoys the rock and roll life playing bass and singing in the band 'Ethel and the Mermen'.