Tracey Cockrell is a sculptor and interdisciplinary artist whose work explores the generative intersections of form, language, and sound. Currently, the Chair of the Foundation program at MECA&D, she brings a wealth of experience from teaching at a variety of institutions.
Before stepping into her current role, she served as Chair of the MFA in Studio Art at MECA&D and as a visiting faculty member in sculpture at Bennington College. Her previous tenure at PNCA spanned a decade, where she played a key role in academic leadership, including serving as interim Academic Dean, Foundation Chair, and Founding Chair of the low-residency MFA in Visual Studies. She got her start in academic leadership as the Chair of MECA&D’s Sculpture department. Her current position at MECA&D marks a return to her roots here in Maine.
Cockrell’s international debut came in 2024 at Munich’s KloHäuschen Biennale—an irreverent and celebrated venue in a former public restroom. Her work has been featured in Sculpture Magazine, The Atlantic, Art New England, and on NPR. Residencies read like a road map of creative sanctuaries: Ucross Foundation, Montello Foundation, I-Park, SEARS at The Parsonage, Penland, UMass Dartmouth, Maine Farmland Trust, The Tides Institute, Leland Iron Works, Hewnoaks, Oregon College of Art & Craft, and the legendary Skowhegan School of Painting & Sculpture—each site a chapter in her evolving dialogue between place, material, and sound.
Upcoming in 2026: Cockrell's work will be featured in a book arts exhibition at the New Bedford Whaling Museum and supported by an Audubon Artist Residency on Hog Island.
Instagram: @tracey.cockrell