Tracy McCarty

"You know that feeling you get when you stand by the ocean, a lake or a river?

You feel different. I paint that!

I paint the pulse of water in motion—its rhythm, its spirit, its invisible charge. As water flows, it releases negative ions that our bodies drink in, quietly lifting serotonin and brightening the soul. My ‘process embraces this natural alchemy: I allow water to lead, guiding pigment in spontaneous dance across weighty cold press paper. This collaboration between gravity, fluid, and pigment captures not just movement—but the essence of renewal, calm, and quiet joy – ions in action.

I grew up on a lake, learned to swim in a lake, became a lover of the ocean through paddling and just sitting by the beach. Each piece is a breath; a healing echo of water’s energy translated into visual form."

Tracy's artistic practice centers on capturing the dynamic energy of water—an element that has been her constant companion through life's peaks and valleys. Water's restorative qualities are woven throughout her personal narrative, from childhood lake memories to years spent on the West Coast, and a competitive background in swimming and diving. Today, she maintains her deep connection to water through stand-up paddling, riverside hikes, and swims in lakes and oceans, all while enjoying the tranquil pond view from the home she shares with her husband.

Her intimate relationship with aquatic environments is the foundation for how she interprets moving water, co-creating with this element, ‘letting water be water’. Moving water releases negative ions that create positive impacts on our minds and bodies—a healing quality Tracy believes becomes embedded in her paintings, offering viewers their own restorative experience.

Tracy's paintings have garnered recognition at fine art exhibitions including Boston Mills Art Fest, Akron Watercolor Society Member Show, Chautauqua Visual Arts, Skidmore College Annual, and Bucktown ArtFest. Working from her Peninsula, Ohio studio and painting en plein air at waterside locations, she continues to explore the ever-changing moods and movements of her primary muse.

Instagram: @tracy_mccarty

TracyMcCartyArt.com