Rachel Darnell

Born Quito, Ecuador, 1961.

Lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
I have studied art my entire life. I attended the Memphis Art Academy Saturday program from first grade to the beginning of high school. During which time I learned the fundamintals of drawing, painting, design, color and perspective. I learned various mediums such as painting, ceramics, sculpture, fabric design and printmaking.

Over the past thirty years my professional technique has evolved from woven canvas which represents the interconnectedness and interdependence of all things, to simplified techniques and more minimalist forms.

Some of my paintings utilize canvas strips over laying solid canvas which creates a design element in the surface of the canvas. It produces a minimal linear texture that I then paint upon. On this surface I paint my "Prana Series" which is "energy" in Hindu. I apply layers and layers of colors that vibrate off each other, an example would be "Daze I & II".

Another series is the "Meditation" series which is painted upon a flat canvas. I apply the paint in various washes that are transparent which craete depth and mystery, an example is "Cloud Play".

At this time I am heavily influenced by the Japanese aesthetic philos...

Bachelor of Fine Arts- 1998: Memphis College of Art,
Memphis, TN
Major: Decorative Design with a concentration in Fiber
Honors: 1988 - Viola Joyce Quigley Memorial Textile
Award, 1997 - Lyle Mckee Memorial Scholarship,
1986 - Shainberg Scholarship

Bacholoar of Art - 1984: Emory University, Atlanta, GA
Major: Judiac Studies

Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel 1982-1083
One Year Program

Austin College, Sherman TX, 1980 - 1981

2016 Levy Gallery, Memphis, TN
"Wabi Sabi" Two Person Show:
Rachel Darnell & Lana Chu

2015 GF Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM
"Possibilities & Pulse" Two Person Show:
Rachel Darnell & Michael Wilding


2014 Gallery Orange, New Orleans, LA: Group Show

2013 GF Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM: Group Show

2012 Darnell Fine Art, Santa Fe, NM: Mystic Images

2011 Darnell Fine Art, Santa Fe, NM: Mysterium

2010 Bentley Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ: New Artists

2009 Linda Durham Contemporary Art, Santa Fe, NM

Group ShowTranslations Gallery, Denver, CO

2006 New Mexico Museum of Art, Juried Exhibition:New Mexico Women Artists

2004 Darnell Fine Art, Santa Fe, NMArt Expo New York, Jacob Javitz Center

2000-03 Waxlander Gallery, Santa Fe, NM

1999 Contemporary 1999, Juried Competition,Fuller's Art Lodge, Los Alamos, NM

1997-98 Waxlander Khadoure Fine Art, Santa Fe, NM

1997 Expressions in Fine Art, Santa Fe, NM

1996 Art Resources, Birmingham, MI

1994 Raleigh Gallery, DCOTA, Miami,FLSeventh
Annual Juried Exhibition: Bakehouse Art Complex, Miami, FL

1993 Boca Raton Museum of Art

1992 Fifth Annual Juried Competition: Bakehouse Art C...