Tracy Burtz

Tracy Burtz’s work moves fluidly between figurative and abstract painting, guided by the core elements of composition, color, value, light, line, volume, and space. Though she paints from emotion, she prioritizes the formal qualities that give each piece its impact. Her beach landscapes are lively and whimsical, reflecting her affinity for the shoreline, where figures often dissolve into abstract shapes of color.

For the first twenty years of her career, Burtz worked in a traditional mode. Over the past decade, she has intentionally set aside the constraints of her formal training, embracing a more intuitive approach. This shift has led to work that is both simplified and more specific — focused on paint handling, color relationships, abstraction, and the tension of the two‑dimensional plane. Yet each piece still offers a story for viewers to interpret in their own way.