‘Artists can evoke emotion.'
Tracey Coakley is an Australian born artist now living in New Zealand. She works in portraiture and figurative art, exploring human emotions and mental health, drawing upon observations, her own experiences and observing her children transition to adulthood.
Where is your current studio? What would be your dream studio?
My studio is a little building next to our house, joined by the deck, which I have the smaller room within. I have a lovely view of our big backyard, with the large oaks from the reserve next door. And have visiting native birds, such as tui’s and fantails and kingfishers. It’s a bit pokey, and slightly messy, but it’s my own space. And I’m grateful to have a space to paint in.
My dream studio would be big enough to be able to stand back from my work to look at and assess, with a comfy chair in one corner to contemplate. Big windows with wall space as well, with the right amount of light, doors opening up with a view of a garden. Have a more open studio where I can work on more than one or two paintings at a time, and not feel crammed. Lots of storage, hopefully a printing press to get back into printmaking. Love a space to also have my own mini gallery as part of my studio, to exhibit my work or able to show prospective buyers without the embarrassment of a messy tight space.
Do you prefer to work in silence or does certain music inspire you?
I listen to music, podcasts and sometimes just love the silence (especially when the kids are at school, or just after the school holidays, love some silence!).
My music tastes vary, depending on my mood that day. This year I started listening to ‘Talking to Painters ‘podcast by Maria Stoljar, which has really been fascinating to hear about Australian and NZ artists, insights, ideas and general talk about their work. It helps to not feel so isolated and stops the inside chatter or my negative critic in my head when I paint, so I find podcasts great for the distraction.
Studio life can lead to isolation, how do you address this/ keep a balance?
I generally love the solace, and don’t mind it too much. But I do need to remind myself that in amongst the juggle of being a parent and an artist, I need to make time to socialize with friends. I find going for walks by myself or with friends is helpful. When preparing new work for an upcoming show or a deadline, I especially find it hard, as finding time to catchup is usually last on my list sadly, being a mother of 3 children. So, I often text or call, and sometimes chat and paint at the same time. Luckily, I have some understanding family & friends (mostly artists friends totally get it!), who are very patient.
I also help organize an untutored life drawing group that meet once a fortnight (though this has been irregular with Covid this year). But find having that time with a relaxed group of artists, drawing and catching up a way to get out of the house and chat with like-minded people.
Describe a moment you had an epiphany concerning your creative life.
Quite recently as my work has developed so much, that it excites me to keep going.
What is your favourite / least favourite part of the creative process?
My favourite part of my creative process is that 3rd/-4th layer where you apply the details and everything comes alive! Along with thinking of ideas, taking photos, till I re-create what I’m after to paint, and I do love to stretch my own canvases too and be part of each process. Though most times I really just want to get to the painting part! But I do need work more on my drawing skills.
My least favourite part of the process is pricing and marketing my work, its stressful and such a turn around from the creative process, which comes more naturally to me. This is a whole other way of thinking.
How has your style evolved and what contributed to the changes?
When I was first introduced to oil painting in 2000, I painted a range of things from abstracts, Buddha statues, bold colours, flowers, and characters influenced by Japanese manga. Trying to find my way or signature style. Then after seeing an exhibition in Sydney many years ago of Australian artist Annette Bezor, I started painting blue faces and blue women with long stylized hair. And fell in love with figurative art, though at the time quite surrealist type of figure work. Then when I went back to study as a mature aged student in 2005, I started to become more realistic with my work, asking friends to model for me and taking photos for my own reference material. One day a dear friend who worked in a dress shop off Chapel street in Melbourne, we were given access to the shop and dresses, which was great fun, and I took lots of photos. From that I started painting a series of women with patterned and soft flowing fabrics. Creating a love for patterns and beautiful fabrics.
Early 2007 I moved to Auckland be with my New Zealand partner (now husband), I managed to be in a few group exhibitions, but struggled to settle in. A year later started a family, and continued to paint when I could between moving house and struggling with PND. Slowly though painting was put on the backburner for a few years.
Till I was asked to do a family commission (connection through my brother) for a family in Oman, in 2014. This commission was a huge commitment at the time, but it is when I realized my style has developed and changed more realistically. Though unfortunately months later on completion, due to my 3rd baby and a renovating our house the paints had to be packed up once again, due to space. Life just took over somehow.
Then around 4 years ago a friend asked if I was interested in being in a group all woman show, so from there I set up my studio and sta
rted painting, and have been painting full time since. Then with mental health talked about more, I felt I didn’t have to hide my own struggles and decided to paint about anxiety, depression and asked friends or my husband to take reference photos for me of me.
Then quite recently through watching my daughter going through the transition of child to teenager I felt the need to paint her and my boys, just that whole emotional rollercoaster of fitting in and finding their own place but still retaining their own uniqueness.
Describe an obstacle you have faced and how did you overcome it.
Settling into a new country, making new friends in my mid 30’s. Starting a family without your own family or close friends nearby. Effected my creative process greatly for a number of years. Time and getting older has helped over overcome this.
Nature versus nurture- do you believe you have inherited abilities from creative parents, do you have creative siblings? Can you identify environmental factors or influences which led to your choices or directions?
I do believe it’s a combination of inherited and nurture for sure. Seeing my own children, I can see that. That combination of being surrounded by creative process and the want or need to make something.
As a child I was always making art, opening up paper shopping bags to make murals, to creating ideas in my head and trying to express that with anything I could find whether it was material, crayons, pencils, anything really. Quite a perfectionist about it too, to the frustration of my mum!
Growing up I was surrounded by creativity in different ways, my mum is a sewer and knitter, and my nana was as well. My sister is very clever with her sewing, making quilts and beautiful children’s clothes, knits incredible socks! My father was into theatre, an opera singer and photographer. I was told my older brother when he was young was quite talented at drawing, but didn’t continue with it.
My Grandmother was the only ‘visual artist’ I knew. She had studied at the Victorian College of the arts during the time some of the great well known Australian artists were teachers there. When I stayed at her house quite often, as my dad lived with her for a while, I remember her showing me her sketchbooks, and seeing art framed on her walls. She was very talented. As a child I remember saying I wanted to be ‘artist’ when I grow up.
Though life choices along the way, for different reasons I didn’t go to study art after high school instead worked and then travelled abroad instead. Till eventually made it back to what I wanted all along. To be an artist
Is there something you regard as essential to your preparation or process?
Human emotions that impact me somehow, ideas, a lot of thinking & visualizing the concepts in my head, then the actual taking of photos, sorting through the images, till I find what I want to paint.
Mixing paint, I can spend up to 40min to an hour mixing my colours, I love this process. I have for a long time kept a visual diary on canvas paper my colours to refer to.
Detail a moment which was the highlight for you, thus far.
Winning the 6th Hibiscus & Bay Art award 2019, and being selected as a finalist for the Walker and Hall Waiheke Art Award 2020.
If you could time travel, what advice would you give the younger you, regarding pursuing your artmaking?
Be brave, you can always paint over it. Stop worrying about what others think
How does your work respond to social trends?
PND, Mental health, anxiety & depression, fitting in and making friends, uniqueness
What do you hope to convey through your work?
Conveying an emotional response from the viewer
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