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Tracy
Leagjeld Paints from the Heart
 by
SONDRA HOLTZMAN A&E Editor
The most
important thing for me is the direct observation of nature in its light-filled
existence…August Macke Central Oregon native Tracy Leagjeld has had a
love affair with art since taking her first painting class at the age
of 17. While visiting family in the town of Dundee in the Oregon wine
country, Leagjeld spotted an orchard off to the side of the road that,
although late in the season, still revealed grapes hanging ripe from the
vines.
Between thunderstorms, she managed to get a good photograph of the scene,
which was transformed into a monotype back in her Bend studio. Aptly named
Dundee Pinot, this exquisite work is a form of a print. “Instead of painting
directly on a support, I paint with a roller on what printers call a plate
which, in this case, was a piece of Plexiglas,” says Leagjeld. “My medium
is oil-based paints. I cover the plate with the inks, place paper on top
and repeat the process until the image is built up, which usually takes
two or three times.”
This year’s signature artist, Leagjeld donated the piece to the Deschutes
Children’s Foundation’s Art and Wine Auction, which takes place May 9
at the Riverhouse in Bend. Now in its 16th year, this event is the largest
of its kind in Central Oregon and includes silent and oral auctions, delicious
food and luscious wines poured by guest wineries such as Youngberg Hill,
Volcano, Sokol Blosser and Mt. Hood.
According to the Deschutes Children’s Foundation, its mission is ‘to promote
a community of services for the children and families of Deschutes County.
Our primary strategy for pursuing this mission is to provide rent-free
facilities and no-cost property management for human service programs
that serve children and families directly.’ The artist began her professional
career painting in watercolors but attracted the attention of Sandra Miller,
former owner of Sunbird Gallery, when she began working with wood blocks
and monotypes.
“She took me under her wing and from there I met a scout for Yoshida Gallery
in Portland who asked if I would be interested in showing there,” says
Leagjeld. “Things just took off from there.” When asked if she works with
a specific palette, Leagjeld says, “It depends on whatever I’m trying
to capture. I’m currently a landscape painter, but it’s only because of
what is speaking to me in the present moment – I’ll see something and
it’s like I’m having a conversation with God. By painting it, I’m saying,
yes, it’s wonderful. It’s kind of like a language that hopefully carries
on to the person who views the finished piece.”
While on a trip to Washington, DC, Leagjeld visited the Torpedo Factory,
a three-storey collective art gallery and artist studio space. Inspired,
the artist knew this was something she wanted to do one day – gather a
group of artists together to collaborate a show of their work. In addition
to teaching classes on fine art, Leagjeld is co-founder, with Susan Luckey
Higdon, of Tumalo Art Company in downtown Bend, a fine art collective.
“Susie and I are so fortunate to have found this amazing group of artists,”
says Leagjeld. “There are 12 artists in the collective who have been invited
in. We all love to show our work in the gallery.” Partner Susan Higdon
is one of Leagjeld’s biggest supporters, saying, “Tracy has a fabulous
color sense and loves bold colors. She’s definitely not a pastel-type
of person. Her monotypes all tend to glow.”
Leagjeld elaborates, saying, “I like to incorporate a base color that
is usually a compliment of a foreground color. From a distance, the painting
has a shimmer and the colors around the edges give off a vibrancy of their
own. I believe that’s what people are attracted to – with the application
of warm and cool colors I try to create depth, which, if you look in nature,
occurs naturally. I love the idea of being able to feel like you can disappear
into the painting.” Married for 26 years to her soul mate (whom she would
definitely take with her to a desert island along with a set of watercolors)
and mother of Anders, 26, and Carlie, 24, Leagjeld shares a final piece
of advice: paint from the heart. “Don’t listen to critics,” she says.
“If you paint from the heart, even though there may be some who don’t
like your work, there will be plenty of people who will love it.”Information:
541/389-5651, www.tracyleagjeld.com and www.tunaloartco.com
2008
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