BOLIVIANOS
In reality the festive masks made of stucco or cloth which the dancers wear to cover their psychological masks of submission, indifference and self-inflicted censure, permit them to show their true faces. By virtue of this paradoxical covering to uncover, all the unconfessed desires, the repressed energies and the hidden resentments overflow in a torrent of color, movement and melody: a magnificent awakening of a sleeping culture.
BLACK PAINTINGS
I am drawn to Mexican and Guatemalan cultural objects—masks, carved wooden animals, papier mâché figures, and toys—for reasons similar to those of Man Ray and the modernists, who in their case were drawn to African art. On trips to Mexico and Guatemala I frequent local mask shops, markets, and bazaars searching for the figures that will populate my pastel paintings and photographs. How, why, when, and where these objects come into my life is an important part of my creative process. I take very old objects with a unique Mexican or Guatemalan past—many have been used in religious festivals—and give them a second life, so to speak, in New York in the present. When I return home I read prodigiously and find out as much about them as I can.
DOMESTIC THREATS
The Domestic Threats series of pastel-on-sandpaper paintings uses Mexican folk art—masks, carved wooden animals, papier mâché figures, and toys—in a lively blend of reality and fantasy. On trips to central Mexico I spend much of my time in the local mask shops, markets, and bazaars searching for the figures that will later populate my paintings. I enjoy the fact that I take objects with a unique Mexican past—most have been used in various religious festivals—and give them a second life, so to speak, in New York in the present.
Barbara Rachko is an American contemporary artist, based in New York City, who is best known for her remarkable pastel-on-sandpaper paintings. Barbara is represented by Apricus Art Collection (US), Art Client Services (US), Galleria Balmain (London), bG Gallery (US), Emillions (US), SK art studios (IN), Interstellar (IN), Galleri SoHo (SE), and more. She is a member of the International Association of Visual Artists.
Barbara uses her large collection of Mexican and Guatemalan folk art – masks, carved wooden animals, papier-mâché figures, and toys – to create one-of-a-kind pastel-on-sandpaper paintings that combine reality and fantasy and depict personal narratives. In 2017 she began work on a series called, Bolivianos, using as source material her stunning photographs of a mask exhibition at the Museum of Ethnography and Folklore in La Paz. Her pastel paintings are bold, striking, and powerful. For more than three decades, Barbara has been “Revolutionizing Pastel as Fine Art!”
Barbara Rachko: True Grit, a recent short documentary, tells the inspiring story of a Master Pastel Artist who overcame gender barriers and a deep tragic loss to forge a path that is uniquely her own. It was filmed in Arizona, New Mexico, Virginia, New Jersey, and New York City. The World Premier was on Oct. 14, 2023 at the 2023 Newport Beach Film Festival, where the film won both the Audience Award and Best in Category for Art, Architecture, and Design.
What People Are Saying
“I recently got word from my old friend Barbara Rachko – Master Pastel Artist, Blogger, and Author that a documentary of her life and work is now available on YouTube. I think it’s exceptionally well done, at a compressed and entertaining 14 minutes, covering her unusual journey from private pilot to the Navy to full-fledged painter in pastels. I have a bit of a cameo and am pleased that I came off sounding reasonably intelligent. Because so is she! A resilient and formidable artist, who lost her brilliant husband in 9/11 but found a dedicated vocation. There’s no one quite like her–check it out!”
“Barbara Rachko is making industry waves. She is a modern-day Renaissance woman, seamlessly blending her talents as a visual artist, author, and expert in Mexican and Guatemalan folk art. Her work serves as a captivating intersection where creativity and culture collide, creating a vibrant tapestry of artistic expression.”
“Barbara Rachko’s art is a mesmerizing fusion of pastel and photography, creating striking and thought-provoking images that resonate with viewers on a profound level. Her work has been celebrated for its ability to evoke emotion, stimulate the imagination, and inspire creativity. Through her art, Barbara has touched the hearts and minds of countless individuals.”
“With each pastel painting Barbara Rachko leads viewers to a new and compelling world of discovery and enchantment. Her inimitable interpretations of unique subjects, bold use of colors, and profound symbolism, combined with her extraordinary technical proficiency, have earned her a much-deserved distinction as a leading pastel painter of our time.”
“Galleria Balmain discovered Barbara Rachko’s art by happy coincidence. There was an immediacy when we saw the surreal, distinct and other worldly images in the ‘Black Paintings’ series. The detail and symbolism of the characters is in sharp focus to the surrounding black pastel background. There is no escaping the dialogue that begins with each piece to understand its meaning or the connection the viewer has with each. This direct concept style was created from several artistic mediums and religious influences that Barbara has realised and pared down over time, in her own impressive, stimulating and thought-provoking style.”
“It is undeniable that, like de Chirico, Barbara Rachko has created a unique, original, and very private landscape.”
“Barbara Rachko’s antecedents are not in the folk art traditions of the cultures she studies and embraces, but rather in the sophisticated strategies of Henry Matisse (who was a master at mixing patterns) and Edgar Degas (who exploited the power of oblique angles and cropped figures).”
“Your work is majestic. So unique for an American artist. It has all come together to bring a special style and both an elegant and powerfully noble vision. Wish we had more of those qualities in today’s world,”
“Rachko has done a spectacular job at allowing viewers to understand her, her approach to art, and her techniques. The diversity of her background and experiences has certainly had a significant effect on her unique and remarkable approach to art, and her ability to consistently create such important works.”