Tracy Harp has been a visiting ceramic artist at Qiong Yao for ten months. She came to China because of her affinity for Chinese art and culture. Tracy learned the purity, beauty, and refinement of Chinese ceramics, literature, poetry, and art during her Chinese studies, which has had a great influence on her aesthetics.

Being able to experience four seasons in Qionglai cultivating an experience of growth and community, while exploring the roots of her Chinese studies and art, has been a dream come true.

This experience has not only afforded her a depth of knowledge, expression, and artistic development, but also cultural enrichment through the arts.

Before coming to China Tracy Harp spent four years studying Ancient Chinese humanities and Chinese art history at Reed College, where she learned about the beginnings of Chinese culture and history . . .

She studied Chinese history, literature, calligraphy, poetry, philosophy, music and brush painting from Huang Di through to the Qing dynasty. 

Something Underfoot—— American artist Tracy Harp individual art exhibition 

When we are standing or walking on something, we describe it as being “underfoot.”

If we trample or crush something under our feet, we spoil or destroy it by stepping on it. Most people give little or no attention to what is on the ground under their feet. Tracy, on the other hand, derives most of her inspiration from natural phenomena and debris on the ground.

Through her art and in this exhibition it is Tracy’s aspiration to broaden people’s horizons (expand their point of view) in order to discover beauty in the most unexpected and overlooked places, and, to see art, nature, and everyday life in new ways.

This exhibition is distributed in three containers on different floors of Tianfu Pai. You will feel the changes in temperature, light and details in the switching of space.

Presented on the first level of this exhibition are artworks created by students in Tracy Harp’s English Art Classes. In each of these classes, English is taught through a valuable lesson about nature and life that is concluded with an art project that demonstrates the imparted knowledge.  

Presented on the second and third levels are installations of ceramic works created by Tracy Harp, during her nine-month stay at Qiong Yao. These works are intermingled with engaging objects that Tracy found “underfoot” around Qiong Yao Archeological Ruins Site Park.