Celebrate, FIRST FRIDAY FESTIVITIES, July 7, from 5-9pm with us, and meet Tracy Troutman, and Sarah Trafford.
Highlight Artist: Tracy Troutman with “Kintsugi – Broken Art//Healing Heart”
“I am fascinated with the Japanese technique of kintsugi. This ancient art form, which translates to “golden joinery”, is the act of healing broken pottery with gold, thus making it more durable and beautiful than it was before it was broken. This art form highlights the perceived flaw instead of masking it. I believe this physical technique can appeal to our emotions as well, and I began looking for a way to expand this way of thinking into a dimensional, tactile form of photography. I started this collection with a literal translation – breaking and healing plates – and soon expanded into other areas. Love can break us, how we see the world can break us. But just because we’ve been broken once doesn’t mean we’re destined for the rubbish pile. We can pick ourselves up and move forward while showing the world that even though we gained some cracks along the way, there’s nothing to hide. In fact, we can own our flaws as a thing of beauty. What a brave, beautiful metaphor for life.” – Tracy
Tracy’s road to fine art photography was not a straight path. Educated as a paralegal, she worked in the legal field until her first daughter was born in 2011. While happily settled into life as a stay-at-home mom, she found herself seeking a creative outlet. Photography was a natural fit, as capturing memories of her growing family had reignited her interest in photography. Broken Blooms Smell Just as Sweet by Tracy Troutman-Troutman is a self-taught photographer. In addition to studying photography techniques, she enjoys studying other artists and mediums. Her influences include the paintings of Andrew Wyeth and John Register, the poetry of Margaret Atwood and Sylvia Plath, and the photography of Edward Weston and Dave Heath. She also enjoys collecting and shooting with antique film cameras. Tracy lives in Marysville, Pennsylvania with her husband and two daughters in their circa-1880 home, which provides plenty of inspiration and also doubles as her studio.
Emerging Artist: Sarah Trafford with “Vitae”
“My series of watercolors use Greco-Roman sculptures and the symbol of the Luna Moth in order to remind viewers that creating a legacy is less important than enjoying life in the present. People create icons and sculptures so that they are remembered long after they have passed. I am more concerned with the importance of living in the present and appreciating every moment. The image of the Luna Moth appears in all of my paintings as a reminder of our mortality. Luna Moths remind us that life is fleeting, as they live for only a week after undergoing metamorphosis. I hope this series is a reminder that the greatest beauty exists in the present and that it is more important to celebrate our lives because this is how we are remembered.”
Sarah debuted her professional art career with her series “Tales of Youth” in the summer of 2016 at CityFolk Gallery. In “Tales of Youth” her acrylic paintings were collaged with watercolor paper dolls in order to narrate old fantasy tales such as “East of the Sun and West of the Moon.” Trafford, currently a junior at Tyler School of Art, is a consistent Dean’s List Award recipient and has earned numerous accolades for her work. She was nominated for Berks Best in the Arts by the Reading Eagle Newspaper, has received multiple East Central PA Scholastic Art Awards, a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition for Art, and the Curator’s Choice Award from the Allentown Museum of Art, chosen from over 700 works. Glimpse by Sarah TraffordSarah aspires to use her art to create narratives that inspire people, give them hope, and remind them to enjoy life.