Markus Tracy was born in Tokyo, Japan, and raised in Germany, Holland, and the United States. After completing his BFA from the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque and his MFA from Otis College of Design in Los Angeles, Markus emerged as an multidisciplinary artist with a socially-engaged practice focusing on murals, installations, and site-specific projects. Along with exhibiting his work nationally, Markus has been awarded numerous public art commissions, grants, and artist in residencies throughout the United States. As a former Program Director for the City of Las Vegas Office of Cultural Affairs, his program, New Directions Youth Arts, was a recipient for the Committee on the Arts and the Humanities Coming Up Taller Award in 2010. As a multidisciplinary artist, Markus teaches, partners, and consults with schools, communities, state art councils/commissions, municipal agencies, nonprofit organizations, and correctional facilities throughout the United States. Markus's latest partnership was with The Art of Community: Rural SC which is an initiative of the South Carolina Arts Commission. Lastly, Markus is listed in the Teaching Artist Roster for the State Art Councils/Commissions of: Nevada, Utah, South Dakota, North Dakota, Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, and Mississippi and for non profit organizations: Animated Democracy, A Program of American for the Arts; Segerstrom Center for the Performing Arts, Arts Teach; Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County; Arts Foundation for Tucson and Southern Arizona, Public Art Artist Roster and Lifetime Arts Inc.
The success of community and socially engaged art occurs when you explore new artistic strategies through community dialogue, social activism, and partnerships with outside agencies such as, city/county cultural facilities, non profit/for profit agencies, civic institutions and public/private schools. The community artist is "civically engaged" through partnerships in the understanding and celebration of cultural diversity, socioeconomic concerns, equity and inclusion, conflict resolution, celebration of past histories, current events, and environmental preservation. The outcome of these 'shared experiences' empowers individuals, schools, and communities at-large to make positive choices fostering tolerance, respect, an outlet for artistic expression, access to social services, reduction of negative behavior among troubled teens, and life-skill exercises in and through the arts.
Grades
K-12
Availability
Markus is available for short and long term residencies, professional development workshops, consultations, training workshops, lectures, and/or coaching during the weekdays, weekends, and most major holidays. Travel and Accommodations are negotiable.
Education
- M.F.A. Otis College of Art and Design, Los Angeles, CA
- B.F.A. University of New mexico, Albuquerque, N.M.
- Parsons School of Design, New York, N.Y.
- State University of New York, F.I.T.. New York, N.Y.
Contact