06 Jul Artist Showcase: Rachel Johnson
We’re taking art out of the box and out-of-doors this summer with an exciting new artist showcase that celebrates Indiana’s native landscapes. Local artist Rachel Johnson will be exhibiting a collection of stone sculptures on the Noblesville Creates campus as part of a project funded by an Indiana Arts Commission grant. An artist, urban designer, and landscape architect, Rachel is the owner of Loci Creative, an urban design and public art consulting firm.
With masters’ degrees in both landscape architecture and city planning as well as a bachelor’s degree in fine arts, Rachel drew on her experiences in placemaking and sculpture to explore how art and design in both urban and rural landscapes can be used to positively affect our communities.
“Hamilton County is a rapidly develping portion of the state, and as a result, natural landscapes are continually being lost. This project seeks to gain awareness of the importance of native plants and landscapes, and to inform the public through the arts on the value of our native landscapes and the importance of native plantings.”
The IAC’s Individual Artist Program grant allowed Rachel to merge her two passions for sculpture and landscape architecture. In planning her sculptural project, Rachel chose Indiana limestone as her medium with the intent of providing viewers with a better understanding of limestone’s rich Hoosier history.
“Each piece is inspired by an Indiana native plant or an Indiana landscape, therefore drawing attention to the unique sense of place in the region and to the importance of preserving our native landscapes.”
Rachel’s work will be on display from July 5th – 31st in various parts of our campus grounds. Stop in on First Friday, July 7th, from 6-9pm during our Artists’ Reception to chat with Rachel about her creative process in this project and to learn more about our precious local landscapes. After the reception, the public is welcome to view this sculptural collection at their leisure.
For more info about Rachel and her work, visit http://www.locicreativellc.com.
