5 min read

I’m from England but have grown up in Melbourne, I have also previously lived in Perth for seven years and I have three adult children. I have worked on and off over the years, having had various jobs from being a secretary back when that was a thing to waitressing to working in interior design.

I started my art practice in my 40s and have been creative for my entire life. I enjoy a challenge and learning new things.

I have been a sculptor for about 12 years, I am a self-taught welder and now work primarily with steel. I also occasionally take photographs. I left school at 16 and now have a couple of diplomas in Interior Design and Decoration and Visual Arts. I also have a BFA (Hons) from the Victorian College of the Arts and an MFA from MADA, Monash University.

What are you working on at the moment?

I am working on small welded sculptures, making some works I leave as polished, clear coated steel and others I am painting in bright enamels. They are a mix of free standing and wall sculptures.

I’m creating a small sculptural project for a Melbourne gallery that is an activity for kids and adults to do together whilst we are in isolation. It will go on Instagram and online. I am also making a short video on my work and home studio for Craft Victoria.

How would you describe your practice/career so far and how did you get into this area?

I originally studied sculpture at the Council of Adult Education in 2008 and went on to study sculpture at the Victorian College of the Arts. This was a natural progression for me as I had worked with interior design and enjoyed how one could transform an environment spatially and aesthetically to affect the psychology of space.

I started welding at the VCA in 2011 where I was shown the basics. In 2012 I was given a fabulous opportunity to make a large work which I did with the assistance of my brother. I kept up welding because I enjoyed it and I felt it was something of a feminist action to work with skills and materials traditionally used by men. Welding allowed me to make large sculptures and I loved the idea that my installations could take up space. Historically this was something women would never be encouraged to do as non-domestic space and especially public space was and to some extent remains a male domain.

What have been some of the highlights of your artistic practice?

Creating a 6.5-meter welded sculpture for a public art commission next to the water at Docklands.
I was awarded funding and undertook a three-month art residency in Berlin where I showed work. A bike was my primary mode of transport and I was able to get to see so much art all over Berlin. I often rode my bike to visit the Bauhaus museum which I loved. I was also given the opportunity to show my work in Milan.
I was asked to create a commission of 36 sculptures for a client.
I have received several awards for my art.
My work is now represented in Sydney by Curatorial & Co.

What have been some of the biggest challenges in your career?

When you practice in an area where there are so many talented people all vying for recognition, it can be very hard to stand out. I have become much better at dealing with that and understanding the subjective nature of art and relationships. I’m an introvert and it can be difficult and exhausting to extend myself socially, especially at large gatherings. This affects my ability to make connections and I know that a lot of opportunities are naturally made through relationships.

I’d also suggest that as an older woman there is a level of invisibility and this of course is related to the previous paragraph about relationships. I’m grateful to make connections through organisations like CWC, the Women’s Art Register, and Craft Victoria. Happily, by continuing with my practice and showing my work regularly, engaging through Instagram and my website, more opportunities have been coming my way.

What are some of the day-to-day challenges you face in your creative practice?

It is physically challenging to work with steel. I work in all kinds of weather and I need to be appropriately dressed from head to toe which is unpleasant on hot days. Some of my installations can weigh in excess of 100 kilos making them difficult to move about and thus far I have made my work without assistance.

I work exclusively from my home studio and it is challenging not having anyone around to bounce ideas off. I imagine I have this in common with many creative people, especially at this time.

The current stage 4 lockdown for Covid-19 seems to me to be psychologically harder this time around. I think that those of us in Melbourne need to remember life is extra challenging and to be kind to ourselves and include some extra self-care. Some days I need time away from the dirty studio work and I am okay with that.

What do you do in your ‘down time’ (and do you have a guilty pleasure)?

I love a French champagne! I absolutely do not feel guilty about that! I look forward to dinner with my husband at the end of the day. We are both working from home but keep separate spaces. We share the cooking and happily he is a good cook!

Under normal non-covid circumstances, I enjoy catching up with close friends to visit a gallery or see a movie, followed by a meal, a wine and a chat. Apart from eating and drinking, which I clearly love, I read, listen to podcasts, grow veggies and herbs and go for walks.

A guilty pleasure would be 4 hours of binge watching a series on the telly now and then.

What are some of the things which inspire you?

When I see women in any industry doing well, taking risks, speaking up and out. I have been very fortunate to study under loads of fabulous women artists (and men) who have encouraged and inspired me and my work.

I have a great group of artist friends whom I met through the VCA. We get together when we can to support each other and to discuss and plan projects we can collaborate on. These fabulous women inspire me.

I’m inspired by mid-century interior design and architecture and use that as a point of focus for my art. I have made some large-scale installations inspired by the work of some brilliant women who have been erased from these mid-century design and architectural histories.

What advice would you give to someone who wanted to make a living as an artist?

I do not ‘make a living as an artist’ in the true sense. Any income I receive contributes to the household funds, but I could not live off the proceeds of my art. You only have to look at the excellent caliber of artists who work in education and other areas to see that it is very common to need to supplement an artist’s income.

As artists and people in the creative industries, a lot of what we do is done without payment which to some extent is structural and cultural. The arts in general are not well funded by the federal government, which is part of the problem. You really need to love what you do!

I would suggest anyone with passion and determination can become an artist. Art encompasses a huge area of creativity. If circumstances allow and you have the desire to push yourself, grow your skills and knowledge and create your own opportunities you can be an artist. Be realistic and know that it’s a rare person who will make a living entirely from their art making. I acknowledge that I am fortunate to do what I love and there are many non-monetary rewards to making art.

What’s next on the horizon?

I’m continuing to develop and work on a series of small welded works. I am looking to work with other galleries or design stores to represent my work.

Website https://tracey-lamb.com

Instagram tracey_d_l

All images by Tracey Lamb, unless otherwise credited.