Traci Higginbotham has been creating art for as long as she can remember.  Most of her work is abstract and non-expressionistic using bright colors and vivid imagery.

Although born in Centerville, Ohio she moved back to her parents’ home state of West Virginia at the age of 10. She very quickly recognized the beauty of the mountains and the majestic sunsets that appear between them.  Traci entered into the Putnam County Gifted Art Program and was instructed by well-known West Virginia Artist Caryl Toth through her senior year of high school. 

Soon after graduation Toth recommended Traci for a job in one of West Virginia’s top galleries where she was constantly surrounded by local and regional artists who were helping to evolve her own style as painter.  While working at the gallery she also attended the University of Charleston where she graduated in 1997 with degrees in Interior Design and Arts Administration. 

Traci now currently owns and manages the Art Emporium in Downtown Charleston, West Virginia.  Over the past 17 years her job has not only let her focus on her own art but has helped many emerging and established artists share their work with the community. 

Traci is a juried member of Tamarack and of the Allied Artists of West Virginia.  She has participated in several invitational and juried exhibitions as well as solo gallery shows.

Although she has pursued drawing and paper collage focusing on color compositions and patterns, her real love is painting.  Her works have become highly recognizable in Southern West Virginia with her brilliant palette choices on large canvases.  All works are created using acrylic paints and finished with a high gloss varnish.  She feels that she can never decide if a work is finished until the varnish is applied.  The glaze pops the colors and gives life to the darker areas of the painting.