Valentin (8 ans) with lute Les Tasis, France Drawing

Rachael Van Dyke is a full-time artist creating abstract landscape and figurative work inspired by living off the grid in the Blue Ridge mountains and traveling abroad. Van Dyke is an avid artist-in-residence and has participated in national and international residencies. These residencies create new boundaries for her work and encourage an alteration of technique and expression. These boundaries also create stimulation as she is forced to understand and come to terms with her limitations. Being open to a new color palette or a new visual language to express the land and culture is necessary. Rachael chooses to explore the region through hiking or bicycling, visiting museums and historic sites, and trying her hand at engaging with local residents. Each body of work is influenced by place and tells a story of the people and land that she’s encountered. Instagram @vandyker