Tracey Elizabeth Scheitel :: Artist Statement

Tracey lives on the Central Coast of Australia and has been painting for over twelve years. She has always had an interest in the arts and craft movement, and as a versatile artist has been able to put her hand to many and varied projects over the years. Her love of art making began when she started to explore the art of fibre textiles, using felt as her medium. However after completing university she discovered that her true love was painting.

Tracey's subject matter is mostly to do with nature, flowers and the bush. She is developing her own unique style and will sometimes seek inspiration from other artists whom she admires. She began her love of painting with a Trompe l'oeil as she loved the way she could make paintings seem to be 3D on a flat surface. Her painting tutor has helped her to fine tune her brush techniques and helped her to expand her thinking and to try new approaches to painting. This is what makes art for art lover so exciting.

Tracey also loves the native art of North American Indians and has recreated many art works from that style. Having travelled to Canada many times and lived there for four and a half years she has an extensive knowledge of their painting techniques and styles and enjoys 'playing around ' with that techniques as well.

In the early seventies Tracey attended TAFE at Ultimo where her love of drawing and painting was ignited. She then studied at Newcastle University and gained an honours degree, completing her Bachelor of Teaching/Bachelor of Visual Arts Education in 2002. She has since completed several short courses in sculpture and felt making.

Tracey has an extensive knowledge of Art History and different art techniques having studied pottery, fibre textiles, and print making. However, her passion lies in painting. Using acrylics and mixed media( mostly from the bush) which she gathers on her many camping trips with her husband Toby, she has created a number of interesting and appealing art works that have an abstract feel to them.

Tracey now has a home studio with an eclectic collection of materials where she conducts tuition in drawing and painting (see Teaching and Learning). She seeks to encourage her students to enjoy the relaxation of expressing themselves through creating art.