AN exhibition by oil painter Tracey Dean opens at the Sayle Gallery in Douglas early next month.
Tracey uses rich and vibrant colour to emphasise the beauty of the Island's coastline and landscape and the exhibition, which fittingly is titled Coast to Coast, runs from March 9 to April 1.
A student of Norman Sayle at the Isle of Man College, Tracey went on to complete a degree in Graphic Design and won the Ella Olsen Scholarship, spending a year at Idaho University in America studying graphic design and life drawing.
After working for many years in London Tracey returned to the Island to design for a wide range of clients including the Department of Tourism and the Post Office and she is currently working on a new stamp issue for the Post Office that features paintings of six harbour lighthouses in her unmistakable style.
She said: "The Isle of Man is such a rich and varied landscape just crying out to be captured on canvas.
"I like the medium of oil to work in with its rich colours and I often work 'wet on wet'.
"I try to make my brush strokes more light and spontaneous to add to the freshness of the painting and I'm learning all the time about colour and composition and the effects that can be achieved with them."
The exhibition will feature coastal views and landscapes from across the Isle of Man, making use of light and the seasons to remind us of the natural beauty that can be found all around the Island.
In addition, eagle-eyed visitors should be able to find the tiny rabbit that Tracey incorporates into all her paintings – a playful touch that is part of the charm of Tracey's art.
She explained: "I took up painting in 1989 as a hobby when I was given my first set of oil paints.
"In the beginning I was doing a couple of paintings a year when I could find the time but now I'm painting full time and am happy to accept commissions.
"I go out sketching and take reference photographs and then continue the work in the studio and have recently expanded my range to include watercolour which I plan to explore further."
The Sayle Gallery, at the Villa Marina Colonnade, is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm, Sundays from 1.30pm to 4.30pm and Mondays from 1pm to 5pm. Admission is free.
*Tracey's surname is Harding, but she paints under her maiden name of Dean.
