Tracy Fredrickson

Artist Statement

I have loved the visual arts my whole life. In middle school my favorite class was art and I enjoyed experimenting in different mediums. But in high school I focused on academics as I was determined to be the first person in my family to attend college. I put art in a box, sealed it with tape and put it away in my psychological attic as a relic of my childhood. As I married, raised my children and managed a career in banking I often visited museums and galleries. I enjoyed others artistic expressions, but I limited my own artistic endeavors to homemade Christmas cards and other crafts.

I worked for a large bank for the last 25 years of my career and in 2017 they downsized and closed the center I managed. My kids were grown, my husband was retiring, and my overriding feeling was excitement – NOW I would have the time to explore that box and see what it contains. I signed up for a class taught by Marianne Nielsen and jumped into watercolor.

I fell in love with the liquid spontaneity and the beautiful dance of pigment and water across the paper. It frustrates me and delights me in equal measures. I am still in the process of learning the medium as well as learning what it is I want to create. I am drawn to the beauty of Southern Oregon, our gorgeous coast, our scenic mountains and wild rivers. I enjoy capturing the faces of the people I love. I am a novice student of light. Trying to capture light as it sparkles on water or warms the side of my granddaughters face and translate it to a 2D surface is a challenge I enjoy immensely. I want my art to reflect the strong feelings I have for my subjects and the joy that I feel while painting.