Today we’d like to introduce you to Tracie Ching
Hi Tracie, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My artistic journey has been anything but straightforward. My family always expected me to become an artist, as I sketchbooks before I had permanent memory. So I went to fine art school in pursuit of a Bachelor of Fine Art degree, because that’s what you do when you want to become an artist, right? I spent my undergrad years outside of New York City as a fine art printmaking and mixed media sculpture major, only to realize 3 years in I hated the high fine art world.
So I graduate with my fine art degree in 2009, immediately shelve it, and begin teaching myself graphic design and illustration, focusing on Adobe Illustrator. I spent the few years working all sorts of gigs in commercial graphic design, ultimate frisbee apparel and event design, alternative movie posters, pop culture illustration, you name it. I built up my skills and portfolio, eventually achieving my goal of being a full-time freelance illustrator within 4 years.
Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to create commercial art for clients like Hasbro and Penguin Random House, design covers for TIME and Newsweek, and contribute key art for major studios like Disney, Netflix, and Marvel. I even had the honor of creating the official inaugural poster for President Biden and Vice President Harris.
Despite having eggs in many other baskets, I never did shake the fine art completely. My work has been featured in prestigious institutions like the Getty Museum and the Design Museum in London, and is part of the permanent collections of the Library of Congress and the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation.
Additionally, I founded the biennial We Create Mentorship & Grant program to support and uplift visual artists from marginalized communities.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No, absolutely not. Being a full-time artist in this world often feels like a Sisyphean task. One person often has to be a creative director, CEO, social media manager, fundraiser, and everything in between. I’m not convinced this struggle will ever end as long as the world continues to view art as optional rather than essential. Putting aside all that, being a minoritized artist is exponentially harder. As a mixed-race woman constantly in white, male-dominated fields, I endured a great deal of sexism and racism. The sexism came on strong at the dawn of my career as a poster artist in the form of online bullying and blacklisting. I didn’t know my place. They wanted to show me. Unfortunately for them, I am stubborn and have managed to outlast and outgrow those early bullies 14 years later.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m best known for my movie posters and political illustrations, made recognizable by my graphic and vibrant crosshatching style. While people are familiar with crosshatching from currency or Victorian art, I’ve modernized it using digital tools like Adobe Illustrator, a Wacom tablet, and an iPad Pro. More than one fan has shared they’ve recreated the Pointing Rick Dalton meme coming across my work in the street, in stores, and on screens. I constantly joke that I’m in people’s homes, they just don’t know it. My work pops up in their books and magazines, on their TVs and phones. I’m everywhere, unable to stick to one of those aforementioned baskets.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
Access. The thing that alienated me from the high art world was its exclusivity. Art, as I experienced it, required the right connections, the right background, and the right approach. But these criteria were rooted in elitist principles from centuries ago. Even as I transitioned from fine art and into design and low brow art, I encountered similar barriers. We lose so much by limiting who can create or appreciate art based on arbitrary standards. Art is for everyone. It’s everywhere. Art should always be accessible.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.tracieching.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tracieching
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/tracieching
