The Midwest Artist Studios Project has spent the past three years traveling the Midwest interviewing 24 artists from 18 cities/towns. This project has been such a joy to create and to see how these artists have touched the lives of art students through online interactions, emails, and social media.

One of the areas we pride ourselves in is staying in touch with these artists and hearing what they are up to these days? For the next two-months the MAS Project will be spotlighting one of our 24 artists by sharing with you what they are doing in their studio as well as in their communities. 

All three of our MAS publications are now available online.

Click here to buy your copy today!

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RACHEL MINDRUP

2016 MAS artist from Nebraska

MAS: In what ways have you benefited from your participation in MAS?

RM: One really beneficial aspect of this program has been watching the other MAS artist’s interviews. It is invigorating to watch other artist’s work and share their thoughts about art and art education. It has also been a great vehicle to start dialogues about what it means to be an artist in our region. With these MAS videos, I have been able to expose my own college students here in Omaha to the work of those living right here in our area. It has also awakened the idea of collaboration to me. I have a tendency to spend long periods of time isolated, creating work, and this has been a great, albeit virtual, way to connect with other artists.

MAS: In what ways has your work and/or working environment changed since your MAS interview?

RM: My working environment has changed just in the amount of work I am doing. I have three major stations in my studio now where I have 2 paintings and 1 drawing going simultaneously. I am beginning a few new portrait themes and figurative works that I am doing concurrently with my Many Faces of NF project.

MAS: What is one thing you wish you’d said in your original interview, or what is the one thing that you hope the MAS audience remembers about your and your work?

RM: I wish I would have mentioned that as a teenager I erroneously believed that all artists lived and worked on the coasts.  Because I didn’t know any working artists here in town, it never occurred to me that I could actually stay in Nebraska and live, work and create and be just as valid in my art career as someone living in Los Angeles or New York City. What a treat for these teenagers to realize this early in their lives (if they are also under the same false assumptions). There no longer is this need to try to decide between being an artist and living near your family!

Rachel has an upcoming solo show at the Kansas City Artist Coalition’s Under Ground Gallery with two other artists who are also having solo shows.

http://kansascityartistscoalition.org/exhibitionsUpcomming.php

Visit Rachel’s website to see more of her work.

All images copyright of the artist and used with permission.