Tracey Dahle Carrier Artist Statement

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Updated: 9.8.2008

TRACEY DAHLE CARRIER

On Digital Illustration

The illustrations for A Peaceful Mind: Travels with Moritz were hand drawn and painted with natural medium software. The process can be nearly identical to working on paper or canvas -- once you get used to translating electronic brushes in your minds eye and think in terms of percentages of color v. thinning pigment with water or solvent. I've been experimenting with this medium since 1992 when I got my very first Mac. Many people ask why digital images? There are many misunderstandings about this kind of work because the medium is so flexible and is used by different people in a variety of ways. Many people assume the computer does the work for you (this assumption alone presents a hurdle that causes many artists to abandon the medium). The way these works are created…nothing could be further from the truth. I apply color and line, in practically the same way as I paint a traditional canvas. For me, the joy of creating artwork is actually creating the artwork and to approach it differently would defeat the purpose.

Digital images can take longer to create than traditional artwork…so again, why make that choice? Well, there are many things to consider--the size of a project and scope of a project, for instance. Projects that have multiple images, text associated with it, the potential for editorial changes etc. Digital images are easier to organize, less toxic to work with, and certainly less costly and easier to ship to a client. Since the artwork and the printing process are both digitized there can be a more accurate translation from the artwork's creation to the printed page. There are benefits to this process.

There are differences working in every medium. The tactile aspect of working on a computer is the hardest to get past. Painting in oil is not the same as working in watercolor or pencil and each type of medium has its advantages and challenges. To describe working with natural medium software (Painter, or CS3) I would say feels most similar to working in a combination of oil paint, and pastel. The color in the work is saturated and pigment can be applied and blended in similar ways (oil takes longer to dry). I think you will see that all the art I create, no matter which medium it was created in, has a similar bold and graphic quality. Of course I hope the joy I take in creating this artwork comes through in each piece.

Artist's Statement

Without Words, Does Art Exist? For Artist and Illustrator, Tracey Dahle Carrier, The Answer is No.

"I am an artist. I am an illustrator". The words ascribed to those labels depend upon your perspective. The art I create is informed by my own unique, and perhaps quirky, circumstances. My belief that literature, music, poetry, family, nature, work, tradition, and culture, are all absorbed and filtered through the artist. What informs my values, including that which makes me laugh or cringe, seeps into the images I create. My personal interest in art, science, politics, literature, and philosophy all coalesce in my minds eye to influence the work that ultimately finds its way onto my canvas.

This is what makes the act of creating art, in all its forms, so fascinating. Each of us is a product of our own time. The familial and cultural currents of power and human understanding form our unique perspective. As I reflect on this, I realize I might be just what you could expect, as the daughter of an engineer and a poet: a blend of structure and creativity. Words are the basis to the art I create and every painting, illustration, artwork, has some sort of elucidating rationale at its core. I am aware that when I create art, I create the art around a scaffold of words. Years of working as an Art Director and children's book illustrator reinforced this cognitive approach.

Building images that convey the intent of a text, mission statement, or are directed toward a specific demographic, has helped to define how I approach making art. In this sense, creating art is the expression of both inspiration and problem solving. Before I pull out a canvas, create a sketch, or even thumbnail…I've had tumbling around in my head the words that address the question: What is it that I'm creating? The words that follow define the artistic expression. Is the work going to be: warm, light, dark, joyful, foreboding, disturbing, calming, playful orderly, chaotic, serene, impressionistic, realistic, surrealistic, corporate, hand hewn? Who is my audience? What is the perspective? How can I uniquely inform the work? What do I hope the piece to say? The task is different in every case…which provides ample challenge and amusement for this artist.

The words applied make a difference. Art being called "Illustration" might change the perception of a piece of artwork, and its significance-- for both artist and viewer. The label "Digital Art" has its own gauntlet to navigate. Having said that, the act of creating is the same. I derive the same rush from the creative process; whether I'm creating an oil painting, pastel, or digital work, the exhilaration of having color meet color, creating a bold or subtle line, is really all the same. As an "Illustrator", I'm specifically creating work that "reads" simultaneously with text, but the goal is to inform the work. My best illustrations enhance the text with visual information that might not be evident, or may even be a departure from the words themselves. The "voice" of a piece is determined by the style and perspective of the artist. The significance of the Art -- is left to those who apply the words.

"The Artist, through their best work, translates universal truths." ~Tracey Dahle Carrier