Tessa Traeger is one of the outstanding still-life photographers of her generation and is widely acknowledged as having raised the subject of photographic, food still-life to the status of art. Trained at Guildford School of Photography and Fine Art, Tessa Traeger has worked at Rossetti Studios in Chelsea, London since the 1960s.
As an artist, she is especially known for her still-life photographs taken on large format cameras many of which were published during her long association with British Vogue. Inspired by some of her illustrious predecessors, Tessa Traeger has sought to balance the demands and developments of both commissioned and experimental work.
Together with her agents David and Rose Lambert, she has worked with all the major advertising agencies in London and Europe. Her clients include Jasper Conran, Harvey Nichols, Wedgewood, Waterford, Persil, BAA, Dolmio, Jordans, Kenco, Kellogs, Heinz, Uncle Ben's, Sainsbury's, Warburtons, Batchelors, OXO, Chivas Regal, Haig Whisky, Glenfiddich Whisky and Whirlpool.
She has exhibited regularly since 1978 in Paris, London and New York as well as participating in many group shows. Her work is represented in the National Portrait Gallery, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Bibliotheque National in Paris, The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Citibank collection in London.
In 2003 she worked on a commission from the National Portrait Gallery to photograph the leading British horticulturists of the day and their inspirational gardens, which resulted in 50 portraits being acceded to the National Collection, an acclaimed exhibition at the N.P.G. and a book, A Gardeners's Labyrinth, written by Patrick Kinmonth and published by Edward Booth-Clibborn Editions in English, German and Dutch.
Over the last fifteen years she has been working in the mountainous Ardeche region of Southern France to record and celebrate the life of the people who live there and the food they produce. This project culminated in an artist's book of the work, entitled 'Voices of the Vivarais' which supported her solo exhibition at the Purdy Hicks Gallery in June 2010. The book was winner of the Photographic Book Prize in the British Book Design and Production Awards 2010, and is available from the studio.
Awards
2010 British Book Design and Production Awards - winner in the Photographic Books, Art/Architecture Monographs category for 'Voices of the Vivarais' Text and photographs by Tessa Traeger with an introduction by Mark Haworth-Booth. Artist's Book (2010)
2004 IACP Awards - International Association of Culinary Professionals, USA The Julia Child Award for 'I Am Almost Always Hungry' with Lora Zarubin, pub. Stewart Tabori Chang (2003)
2004 Printing World Awards Winner of the best Repro Award to Repro Graphics for 'A Gardener's Labyrinth; people, plants and places' with Patrick Kinmonth, pub. Edward Booth-Clibborn Editions (2003)
2003 Gourmand World Cookbook awards 'Best Cookbook photography in the world' award for 'I Am Almost Always Hungry' with Lora Zarubin, pub. Stewart Tabori Chang (2003)
2000 D&AD Silver Award - Poster for Tate Britain
1998 Association of Photographers Silver Award - Still Life
1997 Association of Photographers Silver Award - Black & White Series
1994 Lion D'Or, Cannes Advertising Festival, Gold Award
1992 Andre Simon Award for 'A Visual Feast' with Arabella Boxer, pub. Century (1991)
1982 D&AD Gold Award
1978 D&AD Silver Award for Vogue Food Diary
Publications
2010 Voices of the Vivarais
Text and photographs by Tessa Traeger with an introduction by Mark Haworth-Booth. Self published Artist’s book. A limited edition of 250 @ £ 175.00 + £10 postage is available from Tessa Traeger’s studio (info@tessatraeger.com / +44 (0) 20 7352 2641) or from Purdy Hicks Gallery.
2009 A Garden in Sussex with Stewart Grimshaw
2003 A Gardener's Labyrinth; people, plants and places with Patrick Kinmonth.
pub. Edward Booth-Clibborn Editions (to accompany exhibition at NPG)
2003 I Am Almost Always Hungry with Lora Zarubin
pub. Stewart Tabori Chang
1999 Ronald Traeger: New Angles by Martin Harrison and Tessa Traeger
pub.Schirmer Mosel (to accompany exhibition at V&A exhibition)
1991 A Visual Feast with Arabella Boxer
pub. Century (a compilation of work for British Vogue Magazine from 1975-1991)
1978 Summer Winter Cookbook with Arabella Boxer
pub. Mitchell Beazley