Tracy Blackwood - Watercolour painter

Artist Statement
“Newfoundland; sun rising over the vast Atlantic Ocean.  A seagull crying at the start of a new day.  Trigger mitts on the line swing in the brisk “nor’easter” wind.  A humpback whale breaches with a thunderous splash.  These sights and sounds flood the senses, and feed directly into my creative process. “
~ Tracy Blackwood

My process begins with thumbnail sketches. Compositions are developed to showcase elements of Newfoundland that are woven together from images, memories, experiences and other reference materials to tell a visual story .  Preliminary drawings may be very loose or more detailed, depending on how much is needed to develop the story before painting or finished drawings begin. In some incidences of painting, small watercolor studies may be completed to get a greater sense of colour pairings and visual impact.  A painting begins with a light sketch for accurate composition, and placement of elements in the painting.  Layer upon layer is developed with colours and textures created with combinations of salt, alcohol and brush strokes.  Drawings begin much the same with layers and layers of applied graphite to bring visual representations of textures and marks. 

My art is synonymous with visual storytelling of Newfoundland’s magnificence; its bleak, vast and steadfast resilience.  Growing up in the vibrant fishing village of Wesleyville afforded me a great sense of wonder and imagination.  I felt a “connectedness” to the ocean at a very young age; watching the sun glistening on its crests or listening to its thunderous roar as its unmatched power hit the rocky shoreline.  There wasn’t, and still isn’t anything that could compare to this experience.
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Today, going “back home” to the Island allows me to truly appreciate my heritage and deep roots.  Newfoundland feeds my soul and in turn, my art. Images, dreams and reflections of historical Newfoundland;  memories of the Newfoundland of my childhood, collections of objects (shells, rocks, driftwood, etc.) and pictures taken on my visits, trigger many visual ideas that come to the surface in my artwork.  When viewing my artwork, I want people to feel a sense of wonder, to delve into the visual story, and make their own connections. 

Tracy's Website