Established Gallery is pleased to welcome back Traci Johnson for their second solo show at Established Gallery, Let the Good Times Roll. The show runs from Friday, May 5th – Sunday, May 28th with an opening reception on Friday, May 5th from 7-9pm. A price list may be found HERE 

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Artist Statement

The relationship between humans and their natural environments is significant. There are health benefits associated with spending time in nature, as it influences how we feel, how we act, and ultimately the person we become. Our connections to and memories of nature – your grandmother’s rose garden, a tree you climbed as a child, a particular patch of grass you like to picnic on in Prospect Park –influence our lives in many ways. They connect us to our past, strengthen our sense of self, and remind us of our purpose.

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The leaves of a tree change color for a reason. In the spring, green leaves are working hard to provide the tree with the energy it needs to grow. In the fall, they begin to shut down, a process that ignites brilliant colors of orange, yellow, and red. And then the tree sheds its leaves so it can rest and protect itself during the cold winter months. The process begins all over again the next spring, an eternal cycle of life. 

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This visual signifier of nature adapting to the evolving environment around it is powerful. As humans, we expend so much energy on changing our environments rather than adapting to them and allowing change to occur within ourselves. If there were visual indicators to suggest to us that it was time to change, would we follow these cycles through times of energy, rest, and change? Could this lead us to continuous growth year after year? When we choose to engage with our environmental memories, we can see how nature has already helped us transform into better people.

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In Let the Good Times Roll, I present remnants of environments I've lived in that have helped me discover who I am today. When we spend long periods of time in the same environment and experience many life’s milestones there, that environment becomes deeply imprinted in our memory. But we must nurture those memories and connect with them, or they fade away. It is my hope with this exhibition to suspend time for a moment and recall the environmental memories that have shaped me. This is a visual indicator that it is time for me to change and grow. I hope it will help you find your indicators as well. 

About the Artist

Traci Johnson was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. Johnson specializes in textile design, installation, and sculpture. Johnson has shown at numerous galleries including Established Gallery, C24 Gallery, Bergdorf Goodman, Art Port Kingston, Sweet Lorraine Gallery, Micheal David & Co, Museum at FIT, The Chelsea Hotel and F.I.T. Art & Design Gallery. Johnson is a Fashion Institute of Technology graduate majoring in Fine Arts with a minor in Art History. Their concepts are driven by mental health, art, and fashion as therapy subcultures. Johnson creates a healing space for themselves and others within their work, essentially a safe space. They are deeply affected by traumas and how the human mind, soul, and body can be soothed by a moment. As they discover ways to comfort themself, their art emulates a calm, euphoric space. Johnson also brings themselves into the painting hoping to bring a sense of euphoria and vibration within the colors of their craft. They also have a deep emotion towards nature and the world; nature flows organically using every opportunity to grow and branch out into beautiful tendrils worldwide. Its mark is known calmly and fluidly which is an adaptation seen in their paintings. Johnson feels grateful to be able to express themselves through this outlet and will continue to display their art for
the world to see.