Tracy Lynn Pristas has been in the art game for the majority of her life. From the start of her career in Chicago, she’s been persistent in making her dreams come true despite being a self-taught artist. She took art classes whenever possible before graduating from Miami University in Oxford Ohio with a bachelor’s degree in International Studies and Spanish. Her abstract landscape paintings. can be seen in various health care settings, news publications, private national and international collections and numerous fine-art galleries across the nation. Her paintings were also featured on the Lifetime Television series Drop Dead Diva, and in the Jennifer Aniston/Vince Vaughn movie The Break-Up.
Professional Artist recently spoke with Pristas about her career as a landscape painter, and the transition she made in order to make a living off of her artwork. We also got to ask her tips for aspiring artists. Here’s what she had to say:
Where did your passion for art start?
I had always been making art as a little kid. I was the one in grade school who other kids would come up to and say, “Can you draw this for me?”… I’m kind of self-taught. I did not go to art school because I didn’t know anyone who was an artist or have any contacts. We were a lower middle class family so trying to go to art school was a very obscure idea and wasn’t going to happen.
Were your family and friends always supportive?
No … not at all. No. Not because they didn’t believe in my talent. I think they were fearful about how I was going to support myself. That’s like when a kid today says he wants to be a musician. Parents are like, “How are you going to be able to pay the electric bill?” … Today they are extremely supportive.
You’re a full-time artist now, but were there any points in your career where things weren’t going great?
What would happen to me is that even though I would be really down and depressed about things, it would turn around. Something good would happen. I kind of call them “little artist angels” that are out there and working on the behalf of artists. … Sometimes it’s like you take one step toward your dream, and the universe will take a step back. You have to keep stepping up.
What are some tips that you would give to inspiring artists?
Keep at it. … Perseverance. You just have to have to keep trying. You’re constantly going to be faced with gatekeepers, and they will try to keep you from getting over the gate, so you should always be looking for new doors and opportunities. You have to also have tough skin. You get a lot of rejection along the way.
How did you start selling your work?
First, I had to really get into some galleries. The first major gallery I got into was in Illinois, but before that, I did a solo show at a gallery in my studio building. That was prompted from some of the older artists I was working with. I remember I didn’t get into the shows I entered, and my mentors told me to just do my own thing. So, I did, and it was a big success. That was one of the first big building blocks for future endeavors.
How do you market your work?
Today it’s easier to make things happen. Someone will see a painting on a website or Professional Artist Magazine and contact that artist and maybe commission them to do something. … That sort of stuff has really changed the marketplace for artists today. … Artists like me can now take control of their work. We need to remember that we as artists have the skill of negotiation. … Even if you’re desperate (to sell work) you don’t show your hand to whomever you’re negotiating with. I think artists forget that, but in reality, without us, there are no galleries; there are no art consultants. We are the ones who actually make the art. … I created this alter ego for myself. I was no longer Tracy the artist, I was Tracy the salesperson. … Art doesn’t sell itself. Yes someone might see a piece in a gallery and be attracted to it, but you have to sell the work and be in front of the piece to tell the story. … Someone might love my painting but that doesn’t mean they’re going to buy it.
To learn more about Tracy Lynn Pristas’ work go to her website and see her work on exhibition at the Artwork Network Gallery in Denver until Sept. 30 and in California at the Filsinger Gallery starting Feb. 6, 2015 .
Christal Hayes is a staff writer for Professional Artist. She is currently a senior at the University of Central Florida where she studies journalism and marketing.
