Linda Mae Tratechaud

On View

The Window box at vladem contemporary

A stained-glass window depicts an exhausted, female figure slumped in a green chair. She wears a vibrant pink gown made of breasts. Next to her, a piece of cake tempts her gaze. The space surrounding her is decadent, with marble floors and velvet curtains. Behind her and at the center of the window, a rosette depicts another female figure with arms outstretched as rose steps radiate from her body. 
Linda Mae Tratechaud, American, b. 1962 The Promise (Or, A Resting Reality Room of Her Own), 2026 Cast glass, bronze, wool roving, copper wire, chains, semi-precious stones, Milagros, found objects, and personal materials. Courtesy of the artist

 

Santa Fe artist Linda Mae Tratechaud uses glass to explore the emotional complexity of caregiving and motherhood. Both fragile and resilient, Tratechaud’s glass and mixed-media sculptures weave together references to nursing, birth, play, fatigue, and personal loss. Filled with vibrant shades of pink and a sparkling sense of unease, The Promise reveals the emotional and physical labor that often underlies the fantasy of domestic bliss. An empty chair, an exhausted stained-glass figure, worn “Cinderella” slippers, an uneaten slice of cake, and suspended household objects evoke comforts just out of reach, illuminating the invisible work, quiet resilience, sacrifice, and hidden costs that sustain family life.