033 / Pandemic Artwork Stories

3/1/2021

033 / pandemic artwork stories

WITH TRACY KLINESTEKER

Where are you painting from and what have you been doing to keep busy?

I’m painting in Kalamazoo, Michigan, in my den studio. I’ve been painting, Zooming with family, a group of artists, and neighbors, taking walks, figuring out how to buy groceries without going to the store, caring for a 94-year-old father-in-law, rationing doctor and veterinarian visits, working for a political party, keeping Amazon in business, and trying to get through the days without catching it.

How did you find inspiration from your surroundings for it?

We're extremely lucky to live in a pretty place. Nature is easy to get inspiration from - just look around. Color has always affected me deeply, and fall in this part of the world is beyond words.

What is one positive that has come from this experience for you?

There are many. Most of all is the time it has allowed me to keep painting. Sometimes daily life and responsibilities can rob an artist of time. Not now. I like the idea of slowing down. I’m old now and I like taking things slower, really experiencing and enjoying every bit of this life I’m allowed to have.

What is one of your favorite pieces in the collection from a fellow artist?

Lisa Price’s “Beach Chill”. I love the atmosphere in this painting. I relate to this piece a lot: she looks like me when I was young (I can’t draw/paint people very well, so I’m in awe of artists that can). Whenever I travelled, you would catch me sitting exactly as that, wearing the same thing, looking out a window at a new place watching people go by. Wondering what they were up to, reading a book, with a drink on the table (Coke when I was young, wine later). This is probably my favorite pastime. The brushstrokes evoke the dreamy calmness. She doesn’t seem to have a care in the world. Well drawn and with a good composition, I like that her feet cross the canvas diagonally, creating movement, connecting her figure with the window. I like the subtle colors. This painting just lowers my blood pressure. Just what I need nowadays.

Learn more about Tracy's artwork and story here.