Rachel Popowcer



 
 
 
 
 
 
EDUCATION
University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico  MFA, Art Studio
Courses include: History of Video Art (Professor Gene Youngblood); Riding the Metaphor (Visiting Critic Rebecca
Solnit); Mythological Adventuring (Professor Margery Amdur); Photo Special Projects (Professor AdrienneSalinger); Independent Study: Painting (Professors Martin Facey and Lydia Madrid); 
Tamarind Collaborative Lithography (Tamarind Education Director Jeff Sippel); Topics in Computer Arts: Web Based Publishing (Bill Kelley)

Carlow College, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Art Education Teaching Certification, grades K-12

Maryland Institute, College of Art, Baltimore, Maryland
Course taken: Color Photography

Pittsburgh Filmmakers, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Courses include: B&W  Photography, Non-silver Printing, Experimental Camera and Experimental Darkroom

Carnegie-Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
BFA, Painting and Drawing, Minor in English
 

INDIVIDUAL EXHIBITIONS

2000 Durations, The Harwood Art Center Albuquerque, NM
1999 Interior Balance:  John Sommers Gallery   Albuquerque, NM
1996 Photo Collage, Pittsburgh Filmmakers Gallery Pittsburgh, PA

TWO and THREE PERSON EXHIBITIONS

1999  3, ARC Gallery Albuquerque, NM
1997  Elliptical Occurrences, Site 2121 Gallery Albuquerque, NM
1996  Three-Person Exhibition: The Turmoil Room Pittsburgh, PA
1992  Three-Person Exhibition: Forbes Gallery  Carnegie-Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2001  Abstraction Nine: invitational exhibition, Dartmouth Street Gallery, Albuquerque, NM
2000  Matrixarts International 2000: Women Consuming, Women Consumed, juried exhibition Matrix Gallery,  Sacramento, CA
1999  The Window Project 66: installations by local artists in windows of Downtown businesses Gizmo,Central Ave., Albuquerque, NM

          Impromptu: an exhibition of Albuquerque Abstract Artists 516/Magnifico! Downtown Artspace, Albuquerque, NM

           Magnifico Traveling Poetry Gallery: an exhibition in conjunction with Poetry Habitat: Albuquerque’s 2nd Annual Celebration of   Poetry  in the Arts Original works of collaboration between poets and visual artists featured on exterior tail panels of Albuquerque  city buses.  Albuquerque, NM

          Solitary Vices II: group exhibition, Site 2121 Gallery Albuquerque, NM

          Simcha: a juried exhibition of Jewish artists, The Harwood Art Center Albuquerque, NM

          Made in New Mexico: Litografias de estudiantes del Tamarind Institute: InstitutoChileno-Norteamericano 
          de Cultura de Valparaíso y Instituto Chileno-  Norteamericano de Cultura de Santiago Valparaíso y 
          Santiago, Chile

1998-99 It’s About Time: invitational exhibition, Jonson Gallery University of New Mexico, Albuquerque
1998  Framed: an invitational exhibition to benefit  Habitat for Humanity Richard Levy Gallery, Albuquerque, NM

         Bicycle: an invitational exhibition in conjunction with Vehicle: Art and Transportation in New Mexico. Rivet Design Albuquerque

         ASA Invitational: group exhibition, ASA Gallery University of New Mexico, Albuquerque

         Tamarind Collaborative Lithography Exhibition: Ralph Greene Gallery Albuquerque, NM

             Not Accepted; an exhibition of exceptional unacceptable works: Art Annex, University of New Mexico,  Albuquerque

              Solitary Vices: group exhibition, Site 2121 Gallery Albuquerque, NM

1997  D.H. Lawrence Ranch Exhibition: Sommers Gallery University of New Mexico, Albuquerque

             Twenty-one Artists at 2121: A Silent Auction, Site 2121 Gallery, Albuquerque, NM

            “..In pure fat units of conceit..”: small works exhibition, Sommers Gallery University of New Mexico, Albuquerque

            Auto-erotic: ASA Gallery University of New Mexico, Albuquerque

1996  Group Exhibition: Popejoy Hall, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque

             Juried Visual Arts Exhibition-Painting: Three Rivers Arts Festival Pittsburgh, PA

1995  Violence into Vision- group exhibition to benefit Pittsburgh Action Against  Rape Space 101, Pittsburgh,PA

             Juried Visual Arts Exhibition- Photography: Wood Street Galleries Three Rivers Arts Festival, Pittsburgh, PA

             Member Exhibition- B&W Photography: Pittsburgh Filmmakers Gallery   Pittsburgh, PA

1994-95 Juried Group Exhibition: Silver Eye Center for Photography Pittsburgh, PA
1994  Juried Visual Arts Exhibition- Photography: Wood Street Galleries Three Rivers Arts Festival, Pittsburgh,   PA

              Group Exhibition: Pittsburgh Filmmakers Gallery Pittsburgh, PA

1993  Student/Member Exhibition: Pittsburgh Filmmakers Gallery Pittsburgh, PA 

              Group Exhibition: Maryland Institute, College of Art Baltimore, MD

1992  Juried Photography Exhibition: IN PITTSBURGH/Heads Together Gallery Pittsburgh, PA

1991  Four-Person Exhibition: Forbes Gallery Carnegie-Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
 

RESIDENCIES

2001    Vermont Studio Center, February 4 - March 2, Painting Residency Johnson, Vermont
 

AWARDS & HONORS

2000    Honorable Mention, Matrixarts International 2000
1999    Juror’s Choice of Show Award, Simcha: a juried exhibition of Jewish artists
1998    Graduate Art Association Materials Grant
1996    Pepsico Grant, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque
1988-92 Academic Scholarship, Carnegie-Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
 

REVIEWS OF EXHIBITIONS

2000    Pulkka, Wesley, “Alternative Energies”, The Albuquerque Journal 
                  October 20, no. 294, West Side Edition, pg. 8.

1999   Allen, Steven Robert, “Art vs. Commerce”, Albuquerque Weekly Alibi, 
               vol. 8, no. 40, October 7-13, pg. 23.

          DellaFlora, Anthony, “Window displays dress up Downtown area”, The Albuquerque Journal, 
             September 17, no. 260, Venue, pg. E10.

          Mobley-Martinez, T.D., “Bold, expressive art rolls through original sampling in three waves” , 
              The Albuquerque Tribune,  January  pg.  C6.

1998  Lee, Jeffrey, “Time to Spare: It’s About Time at Jonson Gallery”, Albuquerque Weekly Alibi,
             vol. 7, no. 49, December 10-16, 1998, pg. 20.

         Maiello, Michael, “Juried Exhibit Castoffs Make a Show of Their Own”, The Albuquerque Tribune, April 3.
 

PUBLICATIONS

1999 Interior Balance Exhibition Catalog, Albuquerque, New Mexico

           Young Voices, New Worlds: selected works from the Magnifico Arts Workshops for Community Center 
           Youth Spring 1999 and 2000, Albuquerque, New Mexico

1998 Parenting New Mexico, “Art, Music and Dance for Children”, August/September
            Vol. IV, No.VII, pgs. 4-8.

COLLECTIONS

Sue Abramson and Kevin Kelly, Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania 
Jeff Rouse, Indianapolis, Indiana
Kent Suhrbier, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 
Olivia Boler, San Francisco, California
Margery Amdur, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Daka-xeen Mehner, Fairbanks, Alaska
Christine Cunningham, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Martin Facey and Virginia Baich, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Arjo Wiggins Paper Company, South Hadley, Massachusetts
Rivet Design, Albuquerque, New Mexico
New Mexico Bank and Trust
Elaine Roy, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Tracy Mobley-Martinez, Albuquerque, New Mexico
John and Melinda Knick, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Loren Kahn, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Rebecca Costa, San Francisco, California and Santa Fe, New Mexico
Viviette Hunt and James Cornfield, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Jeffrey Rouse, Indianapolis, Indiana
Olivia Boler, San Francisco, California

CAREER

2001 Instructor: Figure Drawing, spring semester Continuing Education Program, University of New Mexico, 
           Albuquerque

           Instructor: Oil Painting: spring semester Continuing Education Program, University of New Mexico, 
           Albuquerque
2000 Instructor: Figure Drawing, fall semesterContinuing Education Program, University of New Mexico, 
            Albuquerque

        Mural Instructor: Mayor’s Arts Summer Institute  Program for exemplary high school students in the Arts, Albuquerque, NM

          Instructor: Oil Painting: spring and fall semesters
          Continuing Education Program, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque

          Co-Instructor (with artist Cheryl Dietz): Building Surface, Building Form: Mixed Media class incorporating 
          both two and three dimensional projects, The Harwood Arts Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico

        Instructor:  Magnifico! Visual Arts Workshop for Community Youth Holiday Park Community Center,  Albuquerque, NM
1999 Instructor: Drawing I: spring and fall semesters Painting and Drawing Department, University of New 
           Mexico, Albuquerque

         Instructor: The Harwood Arts Center/ Escuela del Sol Montessori Summer Arts Program
           Classes taught in Mixed Media and The Visual Book, Albuquerque, NM

           Co-Instructor: Painting I (with Martin Facey): spring semester
           Painting and Drawing Department, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque

           Instructor: Visual Arts Workshop in conjunction with Poetry Habitat: spring  semester
           Loma Linda Community Center, Albuquerque, NM

1998 Instructor: Two Dimensional Design : spring and fall semesters
            Painting and Drawing Department, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque

           Instructor: The Harwood Arts Center/ Escuela del Sol Montessori Summer Arts Program
           Classes taught in Mixed Media, Albuquerque, NM

1997-98 Secretary: Graduate Art Association Department of Art and Art History, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque 
1997  Graduate Assistant: Two Dimensional Design ( Instructor: Margery Amdur): spring semester
            Painting and Drawing Department, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque

             Instructor and Counselor: The Harwood Arts Center/ Escuela del Sol Montessori
             Summer Arts Program, Albuquerque, NM

             Instructor and Counselor: Zia Elementary School/ Family Focus Center Summer Arts Program,  Albuquerque, NM

            Artist’s Assistant (for Margery Amdur), Albuquerque, New Mexico

         Graduate Assistant: Two Dimensional Design ( Instructor: Martin Facey): fall semester
            Painting and Drawing Department, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque
1996-97 Education Department Assistant: Maxwell Museum of Anthropology,
            University of New Mexico, Albuquerque

         Coordinated and maintained educational kits to be used in children’s school programs

1995 Instructor: Children’s Art Programs, Three Rivers Arts Festival, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
1994  Special Events Lecturer: The Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
          Lectured to special groups on the work of Andy Warhol

          Instructor: Children’s Summer Arts Programs, Pittsburgh Center for the Arts Pittsburgh, PA
            Developed and taught week-long art programs to children including The Art of Japan and Recycled Art
1993-94 Gallery Assistant/Docent: The Mattress Factory, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
             Assisted in all aspects of museum work at site-specific installation museum
1993    Freelance Photographer: In Pittsburgh Newsweekly, Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania

           Teaching Assistant: Children’s Summer Arts Programs, Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Pittsburgh, 
           Pennsylvania
1990-92 Gallery Assistant: Forbes Gallery, Carnegie-Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

           Freelance Photographer: Atlanta Jewish Federation, Atlanta, Georgia
           Photographic work for Washington, D.C. convention, mission to Israel and  cover for Annual Report


 

 
Artist's Statement
 
        Since moving to New Mexico from the east coast, my work has undergone many changes.  My use of graphic symbols has lessened and the spaces in the paintings have deepened. In many ways, these paintings have
represented a shift in my own art making process towards a more deliberate, structured and personal outcome.  The more open and vast my spaces have become, the more solid are my intentions for the viewer.  They reference landscape [or mind scape, as I like to call it....], as well as objects in nature.  The colors shift as the light changes, appearing sometimes impenetrable, sometimes transparent. They offer an invitation to explore, to look, to think, and to inhabit the spaces in and between them.  They are a visual record of my own thought development.
          Many of my pieces function both as landscape and mind scape, referencing the tides and erosions of nature,as well as the steady pulse that drives us to work, to create, to desire and to change.  Women artists, in particular, are challenged daily with multiple roles. It is important, as artists, to find the time to think and to create.  My recent paintings have evolved out of a need for a thinking space. I want people to enter the work and yet have space enough to react to its presence.  Ultimately, my main desire is to evoke thought.  I don’t mean to imply that my paintings function as background noise, rather that the strong personalities of each painting serve 
to mimic our own varied thought processes.
        My own thought process generally involves a lot of organization together with a good amount of intuition. 
This duality is constantly present in my work, creating an active tension (and sometimes an active harmony) across the surface of each painting.  I have a need to create ordered surfaces through an imperfect and often
time-consuming process.  I apply the lines in my paintings by hand instead of through mechanical implements.  I
draw and tear my geometric shapes freehand, and I often spend hours woodburning on an 
individual painting.
        I see my work as a sort of visual topography; a recording of internal and 
external experiences within a carefully constructed space.
        It is in these carefully constructed spaces - between the active and the still, between constraint and freedom,
and between logic and instinct - where I take my viewer to new landscapes by way of a personal adventure.