Following up on on our exploration last week of how Miami artist Gary Traczyk refuels his artistic creativity, here are some additional commissioned projects that have brought him out of his usual process and challenged him to grow.
After being approached at an art show by a YPO global leadership community member, Traczyk took a departure from his characteristic kinetic work to complete this commission for the group’s Los Angeles chapter.
“The client needed a symbol of the organization that included a pyramid and had triangles. We went back and forth, and I came up with this design,” Traczyk says.
The artist carefully calculated ratios and resurrected other high school math skills he hadn’t used in years. “The entire thing was completely out of my comfort zone, and I loved that.”
The end result was sleek, strong and apparently perfect. “But there’s also a box full of metal that did not work,” the artist shares. “And that’s totally good with me. The challenge is where the growth is at. When I’m challenging myself, that’s when I’m growing, and when I fail, that’s when I’m growing.”
Another favorite piece was born of a request from a friend who was affiliated with the Life Alliance Organ Recovery Agency (an organ donation non-profit). The cause was personal for Traczyk, whose close friend had just received five life-saving transplants to replace congenitally defective organs.
“I was very motivated to create something to honor my friend. I had him in the back of my mind the entire time I was creating this.”
Traczyk hung symbols and messaging associated with the cause in his studio and stared at them for hours until he could envision the piece. The finished work comprises two lithe, partially painted forms that seem to embrace and lift one another skyward in a gravity defying dance.
Then there was this prize sculpture he was asked to design for Speaker Jeannette Nunez, now Lieutenant Governor of the state of Florida, in recognition of her support for research at the University of Miami.
“It pained me to create because I went to Florida State,” Traczyk jokes, “but it ended up being very cool trying to reimagine the UM logo. I had the idea to turn it into a goal post.”
Traczyk is currently expanding his portfolio of wall sculptures and is constantly seeking to challenge himself with new projects. Contact the artist with ideas and requests.