Guest Artist October 2026

Tracey Kutschker

Tracey Kutschker Biography

Tracey Kutschker was born in Burnaby, BC, and

spent much of her childhood in Scarborough,

Ontario. She returned to the west while in high

school, and managed to live in seven different

communities over the course of ten years. Tracey

received her Bachelor of Arts (Fine Arts) from

University of Lethbridge in 1994, studying under

innovative and renowned Canadian artists Janet

Cardiff, Jeffrey Spalding, Carl Granzow, and Kevin

Kelly. This liberal arts degree allowed the

exploration of a variety of mediums informed by

concurrent studies in archaeology, anthropology

and Canadian history.

Following graduation, Tracey and her partner started a small screen-printing business, and spent the next eight years developing a client base of tourism operators, schools, businesses and non-profit

organizations in need of logo development and corporate visibility. Operating a small business

sharpened Tracey's skills in financial management, marketing, public speaking, illustration and design.

At the same time, Tracey continued her personal arts practice in painting, wood block printing and

paper-making on themes of nature and biodegradation.

From 2002 to 2025, Tracey was the Executive Director and Curator for Shuswap District Arts Council

and Salmon Arm Art Gallery. In addition to managing general operations, she was given the space and

platform to develop programs and exhibitions that would engage the wider community. These projects

included learning and teaching mosaic tile, fibre arts, film-making, print-making and collaborative

land-art. Later, a more focused approach to public engagement using reconciliation, equity, diversity,

inclusivity and accessibility principles became prevalent, and her curatorial practice zeroed in on social

issues and using the arts to start important conversations.

After 23 years, 200 exhibitions and many community projects, Tracey left the Arts Council and turned

her curatorial focus of mitigating the climate crisis and reducing the environmental impact of art-making

toward her own arts practice. She returned to painting, but instead of petroleum-based products, she

began to use plant-based paints and biodegradable materials.

Artist Statement for “Chickadees Everywhere”

Tracey’s bright palette came into use in the early 2000s, reflecting a basic human attraction to the

brilliant colours represented by ripe fruit, vivid forests and the intense blues of Shuswap Lake. In this

series, Tracey expresses her love and appreciation for the Black-Capped and Mountain Chickadees

that frequent her yard. These personable creatures provide a sweet introduction to each season with

their calls, activities and feeding habits. Back in the spring, when strolling around her yard and

imagining a small installation for this display, chickadees were flitting all over the place, inspiring her to

create “Chickadees Everywhere.

”

To reduce the environmental impact of art-making, Tracey uses plant-based paints and biodegradable

materials. These actions are on a small scale, but are aligned with her efforts to understand and

incorporate Indigenous land-based knowledge into her practice, create within a sustainable

cradle-to-cradle system, and support local food security. It also ensures that if someday her artworks

end up in a landfill, they will return to the earth in a safe and timely manner