Grand Opening of Tracy Vernon Designs
The official launch of my website
I am thrilled to announce the opening of my website and e-shop. It has been ten months in the making and years on the back burner, the yet-to-be checked off item on my ‘to-do’ list. My husband, sister, brothers, and friends have been my biggest fans and have, in many ways, co-created this website. To them, as well as the crew at Montague Webworks who helped me design the site, I am touched and grateful for their unwavering support.
The seeds of my art business were planted while sitting in an outdoor café in Bath, England with my sister Claudia and my mom. I was studying painting at Exeter College of Art and Design. It was 1985. My sister asked, in her pragmatic manner that I treasure, “You’re getting a degree in Fine Art which is great but, how exactly are you going to make a living?” For that I had no answer but I did have the passion and grit to ‘make it’ as an artist.
My art business began with jewelry. My mom and sister had returned to the States but Claudia’s query lingered. On a subsequent trip to Bath I discovered Tumi, a direct importer of decorative arts from Peru. I was blown away by the colors and compositions of Peruvian textiles and ceramics but especially the hand formed and painted beads. It was love at first sight as I gazed in awe at the tiny paintings of lamas, cactus, sunsets, and people in traditional dress. I walked out the shop door with a small bag of inspiration in the form of dozens of brightly colored beads. I knew I wanted to design jewelry with these beads as the stars. I was already creating compositions of shape and color in my paintings. Why couldn’t I transfer those budding skills to the art of jewelry design?
The art of composition is one I have practiced since I was a child. My earliest drawings and paintings demonstrated my goal of balancing shapes and colors in a harmonious interplay of beauty. Easier said than done of course but practice is what ‘they’ say gets us to Carnegie Hall so practice is embedded in my work ethic as is humility. Just when I experience success in one aspect of my art a new idea presents itself and I start from scratch all over again, learning and practicing new skills.
On the pages of my website are creations I feel very proud of. Here, you will find the current line of Tracy Vernon designs: jewelry, mixed media, original art, prints, and cards.
In my watercolors and soft pastels, I am inspired to paint images both close to home and from my travels. Among my favorite subjects are flowers, birds, animals, architecture, protected parcels of land, barns that have stood the test of time, the dance of light and shadow, and of course, all things coastal! I am grateful to find beauty wherever I go. The cards are prints of my paintings. Customers use them to send a thoughtful note to a loved one or as part of their home décor. The cards come in two sizes and can be purchased individually as well as in sets.
The mixed media line is very close to my heart. The idea started while walking the National Sea Shore on Prince Edward Island with my husband Glen. I kept picking up small pieces of shells and asking him “doesn’t this look like a sundress, skirt, pair of pants?” When I got home, I created a prototype depicting a laundry line someplace coastal. In these miniature scenes I use pieces of shell, wood as the posts, pen and ink for seagulls, and a watercolor painting as background. From there the line has expanded with other beachcombing materials to depict cairns, seals, and four types of owls.
I love jewelry that is beautiful but isn’t so heavy or awkward that you are constantly aware of it. There’s a flow to it that moves with, not against, the wearer. I love working with the ingredients of my jewelry: precious and semi-precious gemstones, sterling silver, hand-made beads of wood and clay, blown and faceted glass. When the design is just right there is a lovely sense of balance. I am particularly pleased when customers say they forget they are wearing my jewelry until someone pays them a compliment.
News from Tracy will come out bi-monthly in which I will share new art, designs and what is inspiring me at that time or a more in-depth description of something that already exists on the site. In the future, I plan to offer private art lessons, group workshops, as well as on-line tutorials. Please take a ‘stroll’ through my shop and tell me what you think. Happy shopping!
It is strange to be launching my website in the middle of the pandemic. The crisis and all its implications, coupled with the blooming of spring, is providing a dichotomy that's hard to swallow. I am excited, overwhelmed, hopeful, and scared. I am also very thankful to be an artist. I don't know how I'd cope right now if I wasn't. Putting pastel to page in compositions that speak to the beauty, power, and resiliency of nature soothes my worried mind and troubled heart. I hope my images provide the same for those who view them. I send love, strength, and appreciation to all who are taking care of and serving others all over the world. I send prayers to all who are sick and/or have lost loved ones. We are, in my heart, one human family. Peace ~Tracy