TRACEY ATKINSON

YouTube Interview

Aiming to reveal the rawness and fragility of human nature, American painter and illustrator Tracey Atkinson loves to play with dark and irreverent subjects. While in her paintings she delineates facial traits and body shapes with exquisite perfection, strokes of dense and dark colors—often dramatically opposed to bright and luminous ones—render these perfectly drawn figures unsettling yet weird and playful. Always trying to engage and communicate with the viewer, Tracey’s darkness is combined with humor and grace, the combination of which renders her work vibrant, fun, and fresh. Her illustrations in particular capture the eye with their mix of sophistication, irreverence and originality. Her ability with ink allows her to achieve the perfection of the gesture she wants to describe, creating elegant and graceful images.

While enjoying performances by Matthew Brookshite and The Quintet for World Peace, warm up with sweet and spicy Vin Brule’, (also known as mulled wine), expertly prepared by DiVino sommelier, Annie Shapero. Dark and mysterious like Atkinson’s work, it is ultimately joyous and vibrant. A blend of spices and flavors that harmonize in the perfect accompaniment to a holiday celebration.

Tracey Atkinson (b. 1976) was born in North Carolina and currently lives and works in Brooklyn, NY. She received her BFA from Pratt Institute, where she earned the Pratt Circle Award for Academic Achievement and the Certificate of Excellence Award for Outstanding Merit in Illustration. Atkinson received her MA from Teachers College, Columbia University. She has taught visual art in NYC for six years and exhibited her work at G2 Gallery and LES Gallery in NY. Her work has been featured in the short movie “In A Box”.

You are invited:

AGAST 2010

I will be taking part in the Annual Gowanus Studio Tour on October 2nd so come check out my studio and the studios of other working artists in the Gowanus area of Brooklyn.

The mission of the Annual Gowanus Artists Studio Tour is to provide the public a unique opportunity to visit and engage one-on-one with working artists for the purpose of gaining a broader appreciation of the various types of visual art media. The intimacy of the in-studio experience encourages an educational dialogue between the visitor and the artist. The visitor is able to see the process and methods of making art in the environment in which the art is created. We believe the artists and their work constitute a vital piece of the fabric of urban life by linking community together through the arts. By opening his/ her studio free to the public, an artist affords a community member a chance to encounter a new stimulating artistic environment, ask questions, and expand his/ her appreciation of visual arts as they are being created in the Gowanus section of Brooklyn.

August 19th to September 26th

Opening: August 19th

Featured artist: Tracey Atkinson, Darkly Vibrant paintings in a group exhibition.

ArtWalk 2010

June 5th & 6th, 2010 from 1pm-6pm both days.
The event is a self-guided tour of open studios, gallery exhibitions, in-store hosted shows and events designed to highlight established and emerging artists.

Untitled, purchased by a private collector.

Currently working on black and white illustrations for a book of short stories to be published. More information to come.

“G2 is the new Avenue A… A new generation taking the art world to the next level”.
Artwork on display in this new gallerylounge.

Murphy, was commissioned by and sold to a private collector.

Soho International Film Festival

Artwork in the film by Tracey Atkinson.

Oil painting on balsa wood postcard sold to a private collector at auction in March.

“Art, like eyes, offers a window to the soul” as does this portrait entitled Kid by New York City based painter and illustrator Tracey Atkinson. Through her richness of color and purity of line Tracey’s artwork captures the intimacy of subtle emotion. Prior to her recent return to freelance artist full-time, Tracey dedicated herself to teaching art to the children at the Urban Assembly School for the Urban Environment in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn where half of the Brownstones To Red Dirt documentary takes place. Educator as well as artist, some of Tracey’s honors include Who’s Who of American Women, Teacher of the Year 2006-2007 and the Certificate of Excellence Award for Outstanding Merit in Illustration from Pratt Institute 1999. As well as commissions and exhibiting her artwork in New York and internationally, her art will soon be featured in a short film called “In A Box” where the main character, who is an artist, is using Tracey’s artwork as her own". – Brownstones to Red Dirt