"Kalami-Spirit Guide" by Tracie Spence

“Kalami-Spirit Guide”

Dibachrome Metallic Print

60-1/3 x 90 in.

“The creative mind plays with the objects it loves.”   – Carl Yung.

I am a curious being, I love artistic expression, I love to play, and I can’t help but be creative as my intuition builds even more creativity. I have a passion for all arts as well as deep curiosity for human nature and how the two affect each other. I was raised in Pittsburgh PA and performed with The Pittsburgh Youth Ballet through high school. It was through dance that I learned how the physical realm of human expression became intertwined into emotional experiences.

I studied psychology at Purdue University. It was at the time of practicing as a psychotherapist in my late 20’s that I got my first camera and started experimenting with photography in the dark room.  After my first shoot I realized that my true passion was still rooted with the arts and the study of how art form can evoke so much on another. I knew that in order to live authentically and honestly to myself, I must create. Trying out all forms of photography, I had won 3 Fuji Film awards within my first year of shooting. With success happening rather quickly I played with many genres within photography before deciding to settle on advertising photography for major international campaigns. All the while, I knew I would ultimately end up shooting fine art.

With twists and turns in life, a traumatic brain injury skiing halted my advertising career in a single moment and then my focus was on relearning balance, vision, memory, empathy amongst many other basic life skills most take for granted. I had lost my ability to see or think creativity as well as my ability to see or compose through the lens. Recovery was slow. In the next 3 years, I had suffered 5 more concussions and more set backs. It took years to regain my ability to be creative and from there a whole new world opened up to me. I believe it is from these challenges, life lessons and experiences that my purpose is now to create art that can touch others in a spiritual and emotional way. It’s all about rebirth and seeing life’s simple treasures that are all around us. It may be in a ray of light shining through the beautifully shaped trees or the soul emitting through the eyes of a wild mustang. These are things I want others to see and feel through my work.

C.S. Lewis stated, “You don’t have a soul, you are a soul. You have a body.” Since being back behind the camera I only shoot what evokes my soul. I am called by my subject’s authenticity and truths in their own state of energy and rawness. My art uniquely reflects emotion, energy, and introspection and life in its most organic state. I am inspired by nature, light, shadows, lines and the emotions and perceptions we have of them.

I believe in giving back, my family and I happily spend our time, earnings, and talents to numerous organizations and charities locally and internationally. To find out more or become involved please contact me. I donate 10% of all wild mustang sales back to Return To Freedom. I live and play in Southern California with my two teenage daughters, husband, and two Doodles.

Creighton Block is located in the Big Sky Town Center in the heart of the famous resort town of Big Sky, Montana. Outside Yellowstone’s West entrance, Creighton Block has been home to award winning, nationally known artists for 7 years.

Contact Colin Mathews or Courtney Collins at 406.995.3848

www.creightonblockgallery.com


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Andrew Webster is the former Editor of Fine Art Today and worked as an editorial and creative marketing assistant for Streamline Publishing. Andrew graduated from The University of North Carolina at Asheville with a B.A. in Art History and Ceramics. He then moved on to the University of Oregon, where he completed an M.A. in Art History. Studying under scholar Kathleen Nicholson, he completed a thesis project that investigated the peculiar practice of embedded self-portraiture within Christian imagery during the 15th and early 16th centuries in Italy.

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