Self-described as a “devotional painter,” the genre’s origins were popularized in the Middle Ages by the Dominican and Franciscan mendicant (preaching) orders, where sacred images were commissioned for use in worship to aid the faithful, including stained glass windows and sanctuary altarpieces (such as those by Giotto and Fra Angelico). In the 15th century, wealthy patrons commissioned smaller, domestic-sized diptychs and triptychs for private devotion. One of the most prolific depictions in devotional painting is of Mary, Mother of God (e.g., Madonna and Child; cycles from the Life of Christ). Tramaine participates in this iconography of devotional painting in her series of saints and biblical figures, especially in her interpretation of the Annunciation scene, where the archangel Gabriel appears to Mary (Feast of the Annunciation, 2022). Alongside her devotional subjects, Tramaine gives credit to divine inspiration in both her artwork titles and among her working materials. For example, she often lists “Yeshua” (a reference to the Hebrew name for Jesus) in her titles, and includes the “Holy Spirit” as a material alongside paint and canvas. “Yeshua is the source!” she told Artsy in 2020,“The sauce! The magic! […] Without Yeshua, it’s just paint.” 

Tramaine has been prolific over the last few years, with her solo exhibitions God is Trans (2018) at the Richard Beavers Gallery and Evidence of Grace at the Almine Rech Gallery (2021), as well as her residency at the Rubell Museum (2020). According to Artsy, Tramaine’s exhibit God is Trans sought to “hold a safe space visually for spirted queer folk […] whereby the paintings empower spiritual fluidity that give representation to people who love God.” Soon after, her six-week residency at the Rubell museum, Sanctuary, incubated a series of 8 large-scale paintings inspired by biblical passages. These oversized portraits conjure style components from Bacon and Basquiat, in their joyous and vibrant compositions. 

Lastly, Tramaine remarks that her exhibit Evidence of Grace is a “visual sermon” on 2020, touching on both Black Lives Matter and COVID-19. Almine Rech Gallery’s press release elaborates: “Searching for a way to make sense of what she found to be troubling in our society – injustice, discrimination, and a lack of care for each other – Tramaine began her quest for answers. As Tramaine often does when faced with a problem and seeks to process events occurring in the world around her, she looks inward and engages in deep prayer. Tramaine’s prayers provided a spiritual spark that catalyzed the creation of the paintings in Evidence of Grace. These paintings are a visual ‘sermon’ that articulates her faith, amplifies her relationship with God, and provides a sanctuary for a world in need of healing.”