~ August 6, 2023 | Tiny Gallery Montclair
Showing: August 6 — September 7, 2023
Tracey Diamond, is a Montclair fine artist who looks at the world in shapes, colors and textures. When her kids were young, she described herself as a stay-at-home mom by day and night, a writer-and-artist by nap. She'd find moments of inspiration simply by playing outside or going for a walk with her kids— nature and music boosted her creative side while the rhymes and stories, colors and patterns she shared with her kids would come out to play in her mind.
It was during a hike in the woods that a new style emerged for her, one she would come to call ‘puzzle peaces.’ “My paintings and illustrations became a mosaic of shapes and colors fitting together like pieces in a puzzle. The process brought me a sense of calm. I would snap a photo then give it a new life,” she says. Over the years, her work as an artist led her to collaborations that she refers to as “pinch-me moments.” She became a set designer for small theater productions; she worked with famed rock photographer Jay Blakesberg as the illustrator of his visual anthropology “Hippie Chick,” and last year, Tracey was selected as the artist for the 2022 Montclair Film Festival. "Talk about dreams coming true!” she says.
Her art eventually helped shape her business as a graphic designer and branding specialist in Montclair. “When you love nature as much as I do, it finds a way into everything. Color choice, placement and typography all have their own symbolic nature that will always shine through in my projects.” TraceyDiamond Designs is what she says most people in the area know her for; “But it has been so much fun to introduce another side of my creative life to everyone. My hope is to inspire others to look at the world with new eyes and see our everyday surroundings in ways we never imagined and get lost in the magic for a little while.”
About the Artist: Tracey Diamond
My name is Tracey Diamond, and I am a fine artist at heart who looks at the world in shapes, colors and textures. For a long time, when my kids were young, I would describe myself to people as a stay-at-home mom by day and night, writer-and-artist by nap. Little moments in the day, while my kids and I were outside playing or going for a walk, would provide moments of inspiration. Nature and music would boost my creative side every time while rhymes and stories, colors and patterns would come out to play in my mind.
It was during a hike in the woods that a new style emerged for me. I would come to call it “puzzle peaces” as my paintings and illustrations became a mosaic of shapes and colors fitting together like pieces in a puzzle. It would bring a sense of calm in the process and for people viewing them. I would snap a photo then give it a new life. Over the years, it led me to some incredible collaborations that are still pinch-me moments. I became a set designer for small theater productions. I worked with famed rock photographer Jay Blakesberg as the illustrator of his visual anthropology “Hippie Chick”. And last year, I was honored to be selected as the artist for the 2022 Montclair Film Festival. Talk about dreams coming true!
My artsy world eventually helped shape my own business as a graphic designer and branding specialist in Montclair, NJ. When you love nature as much as I do, it finds a way into everything. Color choice, placement and typography all have their own symbolic nature that will always shine through in my projects...even if you don't realize it! TraceyDiamond Designs is what most people in the area know me for, but it's been so much fun to introduce another side of my creative life to everyone.
My hope as an artist is to inspire others to look at the world around us with a new set of eyes and see our everyday surroundings in ways that we never imagined before and get lost in the magic for a little while. I am so excited to share with you this peek into how I see the world through this new collection.
If you see something you like, please reach out as all pieces are available to purchase. I am available for commission work.
The Dreaming Trees Collection:
When I was growing up, I used to doodle on everything. My brown bag wrapped school books were always covered with drawings. It was an escape to me. As I got older, I began to spend more time out in nature which brought a new way of finding peace by just being in the moment. While everything catches my eye, something about trees has always fascinated me. Their curves and silhouettes. The shadows and patterns emerging in their textures. I love to watch the leaves wave in a breeze, listen as they float through the air, and how they land painting the ground in all sorts of colorful blankets. I'd sketch, paint, watch and repeat over and over. Some of my artwork is based on real moments and others from wherever my mind's eye would travel. Together is what inspired my "Dreaming Trees" collection for the Tiny Gallery.
While we do have some time before autumn technically arrives, the idea for this series was to play in the rainbow of colors that are about to unfold and pre-welcome the season's change. Maybe by sharing this little glimpse, you too will find more beauty in the leaf that falls in your lap, smile at the faces a tree's texture makes, or simply pause in the moment as the landscape is changing into the next season.
There is so much to explore when you love nature as much as I do. It's a never-ending curiosity to play in every day. I hope you enjoy taking a walk through this little forest as much as I have in creating it for you. I'd love to hear what you've discovered. Visit me at TraceyDiamond Designs
About the Tiny Gallery:
I’ve always been charmed by the number of Little Free Libraries in Montclair, and it made me wonder, wouldn’t it be fun if there were miniature galleries to peek in when you’re walking around town, too? The only thing hampering my big, tiny idea was that I’m not a painter or sculptor (trust me, I tried), and I didn’t have any art to share or swap.
Fortunately, I did have artists in my life who fully supported my tiny idea. The first and foremost was Yana Rodin, who immediately offered to make a series of paintings for the space. Tiny Gallery was just an empty wooden box until her package of miniature magic arrived. Her pieces convinced me that thinking small is a very big idea.
I set up Tiny Gallery at a time when my work and my life felt overwhelming and I needed something precious and beautiful to help center myself. In a very short time, I realized that the power of Tiny Gallery is finding peace in small things. Life can feel like too much, but we can come together over these bijou-sized, unexpected moments of joy.
This is just the beginning. The really big idea is to create a thriving network of Tiny Galleries featuring a mix of local artists and guest artists from Tiny Galleries in different cities to celebrate the power of small. Each month, or hopefully more often, new shows will rotate in. If you are an artist who wants to scale down, please reach out. If you are an art enthusiast who wants your own big, tiny idea contact me about starting your own Tiny Gallery. I’d love to hear from you!
A special thanks to my son Conrad and my husband, David, who built the gallery, despite me being quite the not-so-tiny bossypants.
—Francesca
* Please visit my Facebook Page, Instagram, and Twitter for more projects posted and to see those coming down the line.
