Tracy McAlister Mackay was born in Northern Ireland. A family move to the north of Scotland laid a foundation in the arts through her schooling there.
After acceptance in 1983 to the internationally renowned GlasgowSchool of Art, she went on to begin her love for expression through the study of textiles. Building on a strong foundation of drawing and the development of ideas in 3-dimension, led to her post - graduate study at the leading Fine Art Textile course at the University of London - Goldsmiths College in 1987. Under the guidance of renowned textiles artists she was given the freedom to experiment, think creatively, encouraged to be different and accept textiles as an expressive medium. With this collective knowledge and experience in technique, Tracy was perfectly poised to develop her conceptual thinking and carry it forward as her artistic career progressed.
Over the past 20 years Tracy has divided her time between exhibiting, working in theatre costume and design, and has been involved in art education, both with regional arts projects and as a lecturer in further education.
In 2003 Tracy, her husband and 2 children moved to Cyprus, where her series of work online was born in the experience of beachcombing walks, archaeological intrigue and the emotions enjoyed during the development of family life in Cyprus.
The series of artwork here is drawn from the incredible light that affects every facet of the island. It encourages the eye to experience the detail and minutiae of nature, that is often missed in the haste of modern day living – with the traditional techniques she employs, Tracy is able to combine this with new media to create an intrigue and beauty she hopes will encourage us all to look for in life.
Tracy is now devoting her time to exhibitions and commissions for corporate and domestic interiors. Tracy’s new series of work reflects and envelops her recent world wide travels and the experiences they bring.
