Little Tracy was already figuring out perspective and shading as a preschooler—her teachers were impressed when she drew a subject in the foreground with the background in the distance. She didn’t understand what the fuss was about. A few years later, in a sumi-e ink class in Hawaii, an instructor praised the way she added shading and shadows—something that wasn’t even part of the lesson. Again, she thought, isn’t that just how you make bamboo not look flat? Back then, being singled out for “not following directions” felt more embarrassing than exciting.

Years passed. It wasn’t until after she had children—and maybe with the nudge of middle age—that she realized her art was about more than simply drawing what she saw. It became about capturing the stories and feelings connected to places, meals, and good times. Sometimes that comes through in writing, but more often it’s in the act of painting itself. With a good audiobook, a favorite podcast, an album on repeat, or just the quiet hum of the day, she rotates between several pieces at a time, fully immersed. Now, she gets the hype—and she’s all in.