Artist of the Month is a feature where we put the spotlight on the incredible work of one of our members.
Our Artist of the Month for October is Tracey McMaster!
Tracey McMaster is an artist who works across painting and moving image.
Speaking about her work, McMaster explains:
“I live in a coastal region in Wales and feel rooted to my environment, the sea, and its stories. Figures and self-portraits feature in my paintings, which give voice to themes of being and belonging. The figures are informed by Celtic folktales, people I have met, and memories of dreams.
I use paint and surface as a form of storytelling. The materials and techniques I use connect me to where I live or where I am working and reflect feelings I experience,
including dipping paper in seawater, crushing shells to form paint, and leaving paintings out in the rain.
I also create moving image works where I connect with individuals in the community, as I want to investigate the dynamic relationship between people and place. The moving image works are around ten minutes in duration and are made through interviews with the contributors in their environment. These works celebrate the unique individual, their specific knowledge, and how that shapes them.”
McMaster has been awarded Creative Steps funding from the Arts Council of Wales (ACW). This funding has enabled her to focus on her artistic practice whilst also working towards becoming more sustainable.
She is currently working on a new body of work to show in February 2025 at a joint exhibition at Cardiff MADE and at Elysium for ‘Art in the Bar’.
You can see more of McMaster’s work on her Instagram page @artoftracey
