SRQ Magazine | December 2023, 35 Under 35 Awards

35 Under 35 Awards

December 2023 Edition

Representing young professionals in the Sarasota and Bradenton Area.

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DR. BROOKS TRACEY

EDUCATOR & VISUAL ARTIST | SARASOTA ART MUSEUM

Dr. Brooks Tracey is an accomplished visual artist and a talented educator with a passion for inspiring emerging creatives. “He has been and instructor at Sarasota Art Museum since 2022 and a teacher in the Sarasota County School system since 2013. Among his many notable contributions is his ability to nurture passion for art making in his students from middle schoolers to teenagers to adult lifelong learners.

How did you make your start in your profession and what aspect of your work do you find the most meaningful?

I have loved the visual arts throughout my entire life. I am now lucky enough to do what I love. I can take my passion for the arts and use it to nurture the next generation’s creativity. I am proud to be teaching art at the same middle school (and the same classroom) I attended as a student. Growing up in Sarasota, a personal goal of mine was to work for Ringling College. Over the past few years, I have been lucky enough to teach a variety of studio courses for them, and I am honored to be the lead instructor of the Kutya Major Foundation’s Teen Arts Council at Sarasota Art Museum. I have always had the drive to create my own work and this past year has been the most productive of my life. This has led to several solo exhibitions, allowing my work to be acquired by numerous private collections. Finally, the thing I find most meaningful about my career is that I get to do it in a town that I love. Being able to give back to our local community is the least I can do for a city that has played an integral role throughout my whole life.

It is an honor to be a part of this distinguished group of young professionals.

—Dr. Brooks Tracey

Share something you did this past year to balance your work and personal life.

Outside of work, I can usually be found around town, enjoying the abundance of amenities our local community has to offer. But this past year, since finishing my doctorate, I have gotten back into creating more of my own personal art. This has proven to become not only a way to relax and express myself, but it has also turned into a successful side venture. Over the past year, my paintings have been acquired by numerous private collections and have been displayed throughout our community, including at Art Ovation Hotel, Pastry Art Café, Artful Giraffe Gallery, and Kahwa Coffee. Being a visual arts educator, I am lucky to be able to have a skill that I can use for both professional and personal growth.

1001 S Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34236 info@sarasota.artl (941) 309-4300