ABOUT THE ARTIST

Whether it was bidding to be the first woman in the architecture department of her university, breaking into Lockheed’s graphic design group as the first woman to work for them on the Space Shuttle contract, or being the first woman to earn a contractor’s license in Washington state in the early 70's, Tracy has always been a step ahead of the pack.

“It wasn’t any feminist zeal that lead me in this direction, I guess I’ve always just seen eye to eye with the guys” says this 5'11" redhead, obviously joking about her height. “Except in high school, when I was heads above them!” she adds with a playful laugh.

Settling into a successful career designing and building houses outside Seattle, followed by doing ceramic tile contracting for some of the finest homes in the San Francisco Bay area, her 13 years doing construction work ended with a back injury. “One of my suppliers came to my rescue when he offered me a great job as a sales rep. I developed an 8 state territory, managing sales and distribution. It was a terrific gig, I got to travel the beautiful western U.S., deal with wonderful people, and sell products that I loved. It’s a lot like what I do now with my art!”

In 2003, after many years in the building industry, Tracy decided to devote herself full time to her passion for her painting. “I took the building materials that I loved, freed them from the constraints of construction, gave them life with color, and let them fly”. In the 7 years that she has been working with these materials, she has reworked them to her purposes so they maintained their freedom of expression but are refined enough for her fine art. Her method is completely unique and utterly captivating.

More than the technique she uses, it’s the spiritual aspect of her work that makes the strong connection people feel to her art. The deep, sensuous textures, rich patina, and swirling shapes take you into her work, but the true essence of the work is its powerful sense of peace and calm. Tracy credits her husband, who she met in 1986 while rowing on San Francisco Bay, with teaching her about serenity. She says it is the profound soul connection that they share that inspired her to explore the deep connection that she believes unites all living things. “It’s the most powerful force in my life, and it has become the core of my artwork. It inspires my life and it is my Holy Grail”.

These aren’t just hollow words from this experimental artist. She puts this to practice in her life in other ways. As a certified energy medicine practitioner and a Hospice volunteer, Tracy puts a high value on her spiritual/emotional connection with people. “Working with the elderly and with cancer patients at the end of life is a deeply moving, and wonderful privilege. The fluff of life is pared away, and you start to deal with the real nuts and bolts of who you really are. Creating something beautiful from that, finding that clear, open place of sharing the wonder of living...or dying, that’s what really interests me. In life and in my art, I want to give people the gift of comfort, serenity and peace no matter how I happen to touch their lives. ”

telephone number: 510.530.9606
fax number: 510.482.3421