Tracy Kay Fraker

2009 Bio
As a youth I received traditional instruction in oil painting technique. I later attended the American Academy of Art in Chicago. It was there that, in 1982, I received my degree in graphic design and advertising. It was also there that I studied watercolor and came to appreciate its qualities of flow and immediacy. I now work in acrylic, which allows me to combine both oil and watercolor techniques, in addition to permitting experimentation. These qualities of acrylic sustain my interest and help propel my work forward.
My studio and home are both in Edmonds, WA.
2009 Artist Statement
I believe that abstracted, even non-representational, art should provide a reassuring sense of purpose. It needs to be about something.
My paintings are executed in series so they are related both thematically and in assembly technique. There are several themes to which I am drawn. One is our perception of time passing., which I represent with such images as stones, trees, wings, clouds, sky and atmosphere. My portraits are faces that stand in for concepts of self perception, especially from the viewpoint of the feminine.
I find the geometric patterns of grids reassuring and visually pleasing - a uniquely human device. Repeating circular shapes signify time and the celestial. I also enjoy using the juxtaposition of grid alignments with organic imagery.
Concentrating upon strong composition and message, I build each piece in layers of color, texture and imagery. I employ experimental material if it supports my concept. Texture is vital to these constructions. At the purely visual level, it enriches the canvas surface. Texture also enriches the deeper meaning. Creating a sense of depth both visually and metaphorically is central to my work.

Comprehensive Resume / June 2009
Galleries & Featured Artist Shows
2009: Blue Heron Gallery -Vashon Island, WA, November
2009: New Dimensions Gallery, WPW Members Show, Bellevue WA - month of April
2009: Experimental Painters: "Product/Process" Sunset Bay Gallery, Edmonds WA Feb-April
2009: Women Painters of Washington: "Sojourns" - Columbia Tower Gallery, Seattle Feb-Apr
2008: Marni Muir Gallery, solo show at 112 Washington St., Pioneer Square, Seattle - month of September
2008: Women Painters of Washington: "Painting Out Loud" Columbia Tower Gallery, Seattle Aug-Oct
2008: Cole Gallery, Edmonds WA. Featured Artist April 19-May 14 & ongoing workshop instructor
2003-09: Housewares - Upscale interiors, Edmonds, WA - Showing my work exclusively since January 2003
2004-09: Main Street Gallery, Chelan WA. Featured Artist August 2005, March 2007, May 2008, May 2009
2006: Edmonds Gallery, Edmonds WA. Featured Artist for "Unveilings" Event 11/9-12/12
2006: ZuKafe, Edmonds, WA Featured Artist 8/17-9/20 "Modular Portrait Series"
2005: Point Elliot Art Gallery "Portraits In Progress" Five years of portrait work (10/1-11/20)
2005/06: Arts Council of Snohomish County, Everett - Featured artist -of-month in Gallery Store
2005: Lynnwood Library Gallery - Group show for six Artist Connect members
Juried Competitions
2009: International Society of Experimental Artists Show, Bethlehem PA: "Good & Clever" Aug-Sep
2009: Art of Our Mothers, Edmonds Center for the Arts, "Climber" Second Place Award, May
2008: ParkLane Gallery First Annual Juried Exhibition, Kirkland WA "Sun" First Place Paintings Award, Oct-Nov
2008: International Society of Experimental Artists Show, Houston, TX: "Glimpse" Sep-Oct
2008: Edmonds Art Festival, Paintings "She" June
2008 Art of Our Mothers - Edmonds Center for the Arts "Yellow/Hammer" May
2007 - 16th Juried Show - Arts Council of Snohomish County at the Monte Cristo, Everett, WA: "Place" 3rd Place Paintings
2007- International Society of Experimental Artists Annual Santa Cruz, CA: "Reflection" Aug-Sep
2007 - Art of Written Word - Arts Council of Snohomish County at the Monte Cristo: "Swallow Knifes the Sky"
2007: Solovei Gallery, Pelagic Show - Everett WA "Four Elements Series: Water"
2007: Orange Crush Show, Lynnwood Library Gallery "Twilight"
2007: On Wing Show - Edmonds Conference Center 5/1-5/31 "Mark Each Season Well"
2006: Edmonds Art Festival - Drawings: "Portraits of George, Paintings: "Two Pomegranates"
2005: Shoreline Art Festival - Paintings: " Apples on Green" & "Transparent Pear". Dakota Art Award
2004/05: Art of Our Mothers, Fine Art Center of Edmonds, "Age & Wisdom" & "Linen Pear,"
Purchase Award 2004 Portrait of Dolly Haakenson
2004: Edmonds Art Festival - Paintings: "Fir Tree With Blue" & "Solitary Pear"
2004: Arts of the Terrace - Paintings: "Woodley" & Drawings: "Vivian"
2004: Mukilteo Art Festival - Drawings: "Vivian" & "Pear Wrapped in Cloth"-sold
2004: Shoreline Art Festival - Paintings: " Japanese Maple" & "Red Pears" & "Pear"-sold
2002-03: Edmonds Art Festival - Paintings: 2002 "Contemporary Pear"-sold, 2003 "Front Porch"
Art Shows & Events
2008: Portraits of Veterans: Two years of portraits show, Edmonds Unitarian Church, Edmonds, Memorial Day, May 25
2003-09: Sierra Street Studio - Artists own studio:
solo shows and one annual event with invited artists
2006/07/08: Edmonds Art Studio Tour - Participating Studio (Annually 3rd weekend in September)
2005/06/07: Artist Connect - at Artworks, Edmonds, WA
2004-06: Mukilteo Lighthouse Festival - Invited to draw Mukilteo Citizen of the Year (September of each year)
2001-09: NW Artists Show - Edmonds Unitarian Church, Edmonds WA (Nov)
2003-09: Edmonds Art Walk: (3rd Thursday each month) - featured artist, ten showings
Associations
Woman Painters of Washington (from 2008)
International Society of Experimental Painters (from 2007)
Edmonds Art Studio Tour*: Board of Directors 2006-2009
The Portrait Group: Four artists meeting weekly to create, exhibit & commission portraits 1999-2009
Artists Connect*: Artists networking and mounting shows for Edmonds area artists. 2004-09. Group facilitator 2008-9
*Assoc. w/ Edmonds Art Festival Foundation
Teaching:
2009: Portrait Drawing Classes offered throught ArtsNow, Edmonds Community College, Edmonds April 13-27
2007-2009: Experimental Acrylic & Color Theory Workshops, ongoing at Cole Gallery Edmonds
2008-09: Workshops in Acrylic Painting, Chelan WA
1998-2009: Instructor - Private art lessons at my studio 1999-08: Maplewood K-8 - Heading up art classes grades K-8 (two grades per year), after school classes, Art Docent
2004/06: Middle School Fine Art Instruction - Brighton School, Edmonds (Private School)
2002: Artist-in-Residence (grades 5-6) -Hazelwood Elementary
2002-2003: Judge and Docent Annual Art Show - Edmonds Elementary
2001: Artist-in-Residence (grades K-6) - Beverly Elementary & after school art classes - Chase Lake Elementary (All Edmonds School District schools)
Graphic Design / Advertising
2009 Freelance Design
1987-1995: New Design - My business / advertising, illustration & graphic design - Chicago Area & Seattle
1984-1986: Graphic Designer, various studios (Leo Monahan, Don Weller, Moshe Elemelich) - Los Angeles
1983-1984: Ad agencies (Frankel Advertising, Byer Assoc.) - Chicago
Education
1980-1982: American Academy of Art - Associates Degree in Graphic Design and Advertising - Chicago, IL
Additional studies at Purdue University NW (Calumet IN), Indiana State University (Terra Haute, IN), Ad School (Los Angeles), Edmonds Community College.
Private art instruction age 12 - high school.

Artist Bio I am from Indiana & the 60's. I have always painted and made art. As a kid I was either in private lessons or an art class. Upon graduation I moved to Chicago to attend the American Academy of Art, my degree allowed me to pursue a career in commercial art. I found work in both Chicago and L.A. I learned to work fast in advertising, but learned attention to detail in graphic design. I started my own design business and did that from 1986 to 1995. After children, it was time to start painting again. I came full circle but found that circle encompassed everything I had become: a mother, wife and woman. No matter when you start making art, everything you have done before will go into it. My studio is located in Edmonds, WA.

Artist Statement Using acrylic almost exclusively, I will incorporate some mixed media if it supports my concept. Work is done in series. Every series builds on the one before it, if not overlapping it. The series for me is a vehicle to explore an idea, build the vocabulary, and finish the thought. Current work has been described as painterly abstracts. My brushwork techniques build texture, layers of color and "patina." I prefer to create compositions that are direct, almost graphic in design.

My goal now is to bring a thoughtful approach to my paintings. With current work I am building three layers of thought to each series: the visual (composition), symbolism, and message. I am putting effort into building my own vocabulary of images. I am very interested in geometric symbolism. I find myself using images of leaves, clouds, branches ... as they offer the promise of the seasons, and the beautiful feeling of trees reaching from the soil to the sky relate to my feelings about the positive attributes of the cycles of life, and transitioning from an earth form to a more spiritual form. I have also begun a new series incorporating my portrait work into conceptual portrait paintings. These are reflective pieces that have to do with introspection, self awareness and perception of the individual.

Once my concept is clear and I have a plan for the canvas I am free to paint intuitively, and take advantage of the process. For instance, while painting it occurred to me the perfect line I needed was to use some thread. It offered the solution for the composition as well as the symbolic meaning to fit the idea. I continue to experiment with thread in my work still.

It is for all of us to discover what our art really means. As I mature and set my goals higher, it becomes more difficult. But it is diligence that prepares us for the moment of inspiration when it comes.

Notes From The Artist

Biography / April 2007
I was recently asked to write an autobiography for the Artist Connect newsletter. Artist Connect is a local artists group here in Edmonds, Washington...

You could say I am from the 60's. I am also from Indiana... the idealist meets the practical. I started private lessons in oil painting at age 12 and have never looked back. During the 70's my room was plastered in drawings and big Peter Max posters. I took every art class in high school, poured over Salvador Dali books and discovered Cezanne.

Remember "woman's lib?" That idea even trickled down to small town girls in the Midwest, so upon graduation I went off to Chicago to the American Academy of Art to seek a career in the commercial arts. I wanted to be able to support myself, live in the big city and have a career. In Chicago I worked in Advertising. I married a great guy I had met in art school and off we went to Los Angeles.

In L.A, I worked freelance in many design studios and met some amazing people there. It was very trendy in the 80's. I had learned to work fast in advertising, but learned attention to detail in graphic design. I started my own design business and did that from 1986 to 1995. The 90's for me was about becoming a Mom.

This newest decade also brought a new millennium. It was time to start painting again. I came full circle but found that circle encompassed everything I had become. No matter when you start making art, everything you have done before will go into it.

My goal now is to bring a thoughtful approach to my paintings. I am putting effort into building my own vocabulary of images. Once my idea is clear I am free to paint intuitively, and take advantage of the process. It is for all of us to discover what our art really means. As I mature and set my goals higher, it becomes more difficult. But it is diligence that prepares us for the moment of inspiration when it comes.

I've been teaching art at my kids' school from kindergarten on up through the grades... and that has influenced me also. Being around children's art-making can refresh your whole approach. Picasso said that to be an artist is to get back to that place of a child. I will embrace the hard work for this decade but perhaps let it go in the next one. Maybe then I can lighten up and just try to paint without thinking about it so much!

As a final thought, I want to acknowledge Artists Connect. I feel so fortunate we have this resource in our community. We have so much to gain by knowing and supporting each other. I hope the arts continue to flourish in our town and with it the local artists.
TKF

Working in Series / December 2006
Accompanying my new series "Passages" is an explanation of the thinking behind the art. Part of what I said is: "I have always drawn images of tree limbs and branches intermingling. I also love the way the growth habit of trees is repeated in the leaf shapes. I had been working with these images about the same time I was creating the Quadrant and Modular paintings."

How does that look... working on one while creating the other? If you came into my studio during these work periods you may just see piles of thumbnail drawings, scraps of paper, bits of scratchboard and notes... but what it means is I am organizing my thoughts/concepts into images I can actually work with. Creation is messy, but organized in its own way. With current work I am building three layers of thought to each series. The visual (composition), symbolism, and message.

There are always a few paintings leaning up here and there that are on hold until I know the next step. I begin with a plan, but my process embraces inspiration as the painting develops. Some paintings come together in consecutive painting sessions, and others need to wait for longer interim periods. Sometimes those "scraps" of ideas building up around the studio make their way into a painting on hold, and natural transitions happen between series. Every series builds on the one before it, if not overlapping it. The series for me is a vehicle to explore an idea, build the vocabulary, and finish the thought. One series may converse with the next one.

"Passages" incorporated a bit of mixed media. A few of these paintings incorporate images on scratchboard, some have metal imbedded. I want to try incorporating some of my portrait work into paintings. I have some new ideas for Quadrant. There is also a stack of 12x12 canvases waiting to be a new Modular painting. That one will be something about leaves and the symbology of the numbers they represent. I may revisit some images of the transparent pears in the future. Enough writing... time to go down to the studio...
TKF