Ji
Mixed Media on Panel

Erin Treacy

Erin Treacy's paintings reflect her desire to create a fantasy world based on spatial memories and experiences. Over the years travel has been an integral part in her artistic practice. In the past, focus has been given to specifics related to geology and ecology, finding details in the internal structure, which showcase its evolution, and turning the micro into the macro. These abstractions invited you into the nooks and crannies of our surroundings, turning the viewer into an ant who is then lost amongst the clutter searching for the familiar.

The past months have marked a shift in her work as the formal space is opening up and she is now integrating structural elements that symbolize transition. Bridges, stairwells, ladders, and fences are creeping into her visual vocabulary, guiding the viewer through investigation. Rather then relying on specific environmental findings, as in the past, Treacy references a mental index of locations that are simultaneously everywhere and nowhere. She is creating new spaces that emerge out of conversations between places.

Formally, the many layers of paint display multiple perspectives resulting in an undefined expansion. These elaborations become an arena for discovery, challenging the viewer to reflect on their own memories and fall into their own imagination. Correspondingly, Treacy intentionally titles each painting within a categorizing system (letters and numbers). This aids the viewer to become the narrator, rather then being led in a direction due to explanatory titles. The abstractions are referential yet unclear, demanding active viewing while commenting on the beauty of mystery that arises out of the complexity of memory.

Being exposed to a wide variety of landscapes fuels Treacy's creativity. In addition to her own excursions she has been fortunate to participate in artist symposiums/residencies in Ireland, Italy, the Slovak and Czech Republics, and Finland. Treacy has had numerous solo and group exhibitions throughout the U.S. and Europe, where her work is also held in public and private collections. In August 2011, she exhibited her paintings in a two-person show titled "Reflections" at the Court House Gallery in Ireland.
 
Treacy is a graduate of Pratt Institute where she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2004 with a concentration in painting. She then went on to receive her Master of Fine of Arts from the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth in 2007.  Treacy recently returned to the states after living in Ireland for two years, where she completed a Fulbright Fellowship. Treacy currently lives and works in Sunnyside, Queens.