Tracey Salaway was born in 1961 in Manhattan, in New York City. During her first 5 years, Tracey lived in Brooklyn Heights, NY and attended the St. Joseph School for the Deaf, Bronx, NY for 10 months. Her family migrated to Port Washington, NY and Tracey entered a local mainstreamed hearing school.
Tracey was transferred to an Oralist program at the beginning of Junior High year. Tracey attended the National Technical Institute for the Deaf for one year before transferring to the College of Fine and Applied Arts (since renamed to the College of Imaging Arts and Sciences) of Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). Tracey graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design in 1985.
During her professional experience, Tracey worked and interacted her way up from being a production artist to Art Director for 7 years through various corporations, in-house departments, and art studios. Tracey returned to RIT in 1991 to study Film/Video related to Computer Animation, and graduated with a Master of Fine Arts in 1995.
Tracey is an Associate Professor in Graphic Design Program at Gallaudet University, and is currently studying oils and digital arts.
Artist’s Statement
“I discovered a sense of love was needed to give a strong impact and a pessimistic view. Like one of my film influences was the infamous film called ‘Gogol: The Nose,’ produced by Alexeiff & C. Parker. Most films gave me a feeling that something crawled underneath my skin, and that was the feeling I was searching for. One of my biggest influences was the comic strip, the ‘Opus n’ Bill Outland’ by Berkeley Breathed. I believe the beauty and the creativity that takes place indoors and outdoors that his drawing of characters are whimsical and adventurous. Very saturated color, the artistic style was as clear and crisp. Probably similar styles to my film.”