Tracy Ostmann Haschke
My work is about people. I work with imagery that depicts and narrates moments in time. These are glimpses of figures moving about hurriedly, or stopped to greet an acquaintance, or paused to acknowledge a disruption. I leave gender, race, and age hazy and uncertain. At times these bodies interact with the viewer provoking unexplained emotion. I find inspiration through observations of my surroundings; community members, friends, especially the women in my family. I introduce my subjects when I see […]
My work is about people. I work with imagery that depicts and narrates moments in time. These are glimpses of figures moving about hurriedly, or stopped to greet an acquaintance, or paused to acknowledge a disruption. I leave gender, race, and age hazy and uncertain. At times these bodies interact with the viewer provoking unexplained emotion. I find inspiration through observations of my surroundings; community members, friends, especially the women in my family. I introduce my subjects when I see an opportunity. The characters are introduced through rigorous drawings, an approach that begins with broad movements of my arms, brush in hand. A large mirror is essential to my process. It allows me to reference my own features when working with the figure. I work in oils, acrylics, charcoal and graphite. Thin layers of color overlap, and paint is drawn and sketched vigorously across and up and down as I manipulate images that appear through the paint. I dive right in, the next mark steering my next decision. I abandon my subjects drawing my attention to the negative spaces. Cutting in with my fan brush I make quick decisions, sculpting with paint. Patterns, blocks of color, noting current styles, finally the last moments consciously I forget about a focal point. Standing back I evaluate the work as a whole.
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