Women in Art 278 Magazine January 2014 | Page 14

etsy facebook pinterest twitter american soap designer TRACIE BLYTHER of the charming frog Growing up in a little town in New England, I had a wonderful palette of colors to give me inspiration to create. In addition to the beautiful scenery, my mother was a huge influence. She enhanced, nurtured, and encouraged the wonderful artist who was hidden somewhere inside me! Watching her work with paint, pencil, pastels, and charcoal, I was inspired to begin my own journey as an artist. She taught me to appreciate such artists as Van Gogh, Da Vinci, and Maxfield Parish. ART I began painting with acrylics and oil but also work with mosaic art pieces, clay-board, and burn photos into wood (pyrography). However, from the encouragement of my youngest sister Jenny, my recent work includes a much different medium; soap! My sister taught me the basics of working with soap and I took off from there. I try to step outside that “soap” box to create little distinctive masterpieces either by making them with my own molds or purchasing them. To be unique in every way is very important to me and I hope to convey through my work. Although they are almost too beautiful to use, I tell people that each one has a destiny; to be used! I have lived in many places throughout the United States (New England, the South, and the Rocky Mountain region) and although I have not experienced a global culture, I have experienced the different cultures they each had to offer. These places have helped me produce unique and colorfully designed soaps. I also gather ideas from looking through fashion magazines (finding different choices of color to work with), listening to different kinds of music, and bouncing ideas off my family members. The shop allows me to make my living at home while attending college for my Masters in Health Administration. I am a mother of two and hope to inspire them the way my mother and family had inspired me. wom en