Born in Minnesota, Tracy attended the Minneapolis College of Art and Design and the Philadelphia College of Art in the mid-1980's. After working in Connecticut for two years as a graphic designer and freelance illustrator, she lived in Utah for several years where she served as Director, and then President of the Board of Directors, at the Alliance for the Varied Arts in Logan. Tracy, with her husband and four children, now lives and works in an old farmhouse outside of Cooperstown, New York. Her work is exhibited in four galleries around the country.

The rolling hills, country roads, trees and barns of Upstate New York are the inspiration for Tracy's evocative landscapes. While not representational in the traditional sense, the scenes capture the essence of space, form and light. Her warm color palette of burnished reds, soft greens and rich golds coupled with her under painting technique and finishing glaze give her work a soft luminosity that resonates with the mood of the viewer. The same painting may portend a fresh new morning,the last rays of the sunset, or regret for a road not taken.

The process of painting is very important to Tracy: "I love the texture of the surfaces that I prepare and paint on, the color of the under painting, the softness of a brush, the smell of the paint, medium and solvent, and the excitement of laying down each layer of color. I truly enjoy every step, from preparing the panel to applying the final glaze."


Tracy Helgeson's artwork ranges in price
from $310 to $1,500


Visit Tracy Helgeson's website