Rachel Wolfe (b. 1984, Illinois, US) works with themes of water, movement, architecture. Visual influences from Art Nouveau and Modern Japanese Ceramics mark a phenomenological approach to image and installation making. Camera based media and performances utilise video, light, textiles, drawings, and traveling objects.
Born along the Rock River and raised in the rural midwest near a nuclear power station, Rachel trained in dance, piano, and voice. She began working with cameras and drawing while studying Interior Design and Advertising, earning a Bachelor of Art in 2006. While working for 6 years in Chicagoland as a creative producer writing copy, designing, photographing for clients and local newspapers, working in galleries, she continued practice in movement and images, making books, zines, and small scale temporary works.
She studied Social Psychology in Japan and photography at the college where she worked before moving to Los Angeles for Studio Art and Theory studies, working as a teaching assistant and earning a Master of Fine Art in 2015.
Rachel works as a contract writer, photographer, and art reviewer. She is developing designs, movement, and meditation programs for Yoto Studio.
Education
| 2015 | MFA, Otis College of Art and Design, Los Angeles, CA |
| 2014 | Social Psychology, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan |
| 2006 | BA – Advertising, Illinois Institute of Art, Schaumburg, IL |
| 2003 | Interior Design, Illinois Institute of Art, Schaumburg, IL |
Awards, Grants & Scholarships
| 2015 | First Place by the Jury, Imagining New Eurasia, Asia Culture Center, South Korea |
| 2015 | Woelffer Scholarship, Otis College of Art and Design, Los Angeles, CA |
| 2014 | Academic Merit Award, Otis College of Art and Design, Los Angeles, CA |
| 2013 | Academic Scholarship, Sociology Study at Ehime University in Matsuyama, Japan |
| 2009 | Indiana Pathways Historic Contest Winner, Indiana University |
Selected Solo Exhibitions
| 2017 | Stop Bath, multimedia installation, Lekter’n, Oslo Art & Fashion Festival, Aker Brygge, Oslo, Norway |
| 2017 | Teknovisuell Experience, public installation, Otis College of Art and Design, Los Angeles, CA |
| 2017 | Teknovisuell Experience, public installation, Otis College of Art and Design, Los Angeles, CA |
| 2015 | Operations of Image Architecture, installation, Graduate Studios, Los Angeles, CA |
| 2015 | Making Sense, installation, Bolsky Gallery, Los Angeles, CA |
| 2010 | Not Even But Almost, photography exhibition, The Old Town School of Folk Music, Chicago, IL |
Selected Group Exhibitions
| 2018 | Paintings from Flat Bottom Boat project,Finnskogutstillingen, Grue Finnskog, Norway |
| 2018 | Black and white darkroom wave photograph, Benefit Auction, Rockford University, Rockford, Illinois, United States |
| 2017 | Recent Works and Jul Pop-Up, Majorstuen, Oslo, Norway |
| 2017 | Ex Nihilo, La Macina Di San Cresci, Greve in Chianti, Florence, Italy |
| 2017 | Limerence, Paintings and performance, Olaf Reyes Plass 2, Grünerløkka, Oslo, Norway |
| 2017 | 9Worlds of Image and Light, Elvelangs i Fakkellys, Smelteverksted, Vulkan, Oslo, Norway |
| 2017 | PraksisOslo Kulturnatt residency show, Rådhusgata 19, Oslo, Norway |
| 2016 | Palos Verdes Art Center, Palos Verdes, CA |
| 2015-2016 | Here, There, and Everywhere: Eurasian Cities, Asia Culture Center, Gwangju, South Korea |
| 2015 | On the roof, Bolsky Gallery, Los Angeles, CA |
| 2014 | Variations of a Whole, Bolsky Gallery, Los Angeles, CA |
| 2014 | PhotoLA, LA Mart, CA |
| 2013 | DC Fotoweek, Washington DC |
| 2013 | Robert T. Wright Gallery, College of Lake County, Grayslake, IL |
| 2012 | 2Rules Gallery, Atlanta, GA |
| 2012 | My Own Wilderness, Exhibition & Publication |
| 2011 | Not even but almost, Defibrillator Performance Art Gallery, Chicago, IL |
| 2011 | Not even but almost, Digital projection of images, Bristol, United Kingdom |
| 2011 | Life Support Japan, Wall-Space Gallery, CA |
| 2011 | Contemporary Portraits by women photographers, Northern Trust Bank, Chicago, IL |
| 2010 | 90,000 Miles on I-90 book included in CCNY Exhibition, New York, NY |
| 2010 | Illustrated drawing, Johalla Projects Gallery, 50 Alderman/50 Artists, Chicago, IL |
| 2009 | Slideluck Potshow III, digital image projection, Chicago, IL |
| 2009 | Docks photograph, CreateHere Gallery, Chatanooga, Tennessee |
| 2008 | Contemporary photographs of Chicago, Wicker Park Bucktown Chamber of Commerce, Chicago, IL |
| 1999 | The Field’s Project, land design and sculpture, view-able by air, Oregon, IL |
Residencies
| 2017 | A Global State of Pareidolia with Lindsay Seers, PRAKSISOslo, Rådhusgate and NOTAM, Oslo, Norway |
| 2017 | PRAKSIS Oslo: A Global State of Pareidolia |
Publications
| 2014 | Bound by Water |
| 2014 | Spread |
| 2012 | Espla |
| 2010 | 90,000 miles on I-90 |