Barbara Rachko was born in 1953 in Paterson, New Jersey, and currently resides in New York City. She is a contemporary painter specializing in large pastel-on-sandpaper paintings that depict Bolivian Carnival masks. Rachko has dedicated 38 years to revolutionizing pastel as a fine artmedium, emphasizing its merits through her artworks and her influential blog, “Barbara Rachko’s Colored Dust,” which boasts 140,000 subscribers and growing. She is also the subject of the acclaimed documentary “Barbara Rachko: True Grit,” available on YouTube.
Rachko’s artistic practice centers on exploring the vibrant cultural heritage of Bolivian Carnival masks, alongside Mexican and Guatemalan folk art. Her meticulous attention to detail and deep cultural insight characterizes her work, evident in notable series such as “Bolivianos,” “BlackPaintings,” and “Domestic Threats.” In 2023, Rachko was featured in a documentary that premiered at the Newport Beach Film Fe stival, where it garnered both the Audience Award and Best in Category Award, underscoring her significant contribution to contemporary art. A few years ago, Barbara published an ebook capturing her inspiring story – “From Pilot to Painter”.
Barbara Rachko’s artworks have been showcased in prestigious solo exhibitions at venues including the Joy Pratt Markham Gallery at Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville, AR, Louise Jones Brown Gallery at Duke University in Durham, NC, Olin Gallery in Roanoke, VA, La Mama La Galleria in New York, NY, and a two-artist exhibition at Brewster Arts Ltd. in New York, NY. She received formal training in photography at the International Center of Photography in New York, NY, from 2002 to 2007, and pursued drawing and pastel studies part-time at the Art League School in Alexandria, VA, from 1986 to 1992. Rachko’s artworks are held in numerous private collections internationall y, and she has participated in prestigious art fairs worldwide, including Moon Art Fair in Hamburg, Vasteras International Art Fair in Sweden, Art Busan in Korea, Affordable Art Fair in Hong Kong, and Art Basel in Miami, FL. Her artistic achievements continue to resonate globally, affirming her position as a pioneering figure in contemporary pastel painting.
2018
Invitational Exhibition, NYC Phoenix Art, New York, NY, USA (online)
Fusion Art, Palm Springs, CA, USA (online)
2011
The Black Paintings, Gallery Gray, Minneapolis, MN, USA
2009
Gods and Monsters, HP Garcia Gallery, New York, NY, USA
2008
Out of the Black: Pastel Paintings and Photographs, New Art Center, (curated by Barbara MacAdam, deputy editor, ARTnews), New York, NY, USA
Art at First, New York, NY, USA
2007
Gods and Monsters, Capital One Art Gallery, McLean, VA, USA
2006
Azarian McCullough Art Gallery, St. Thomas Aquinas College, Sparkill, NY, USA
2005
Blackstone River Gallery, Woonsocket, RI, USA
Artspace, Richmond, VA, USA
Scenes, Crown Center Gallery, Loyola University, Chicago, IL, USA
Domestic Threats, Joy Pratt Markham Gallery, The Walton Arts Center, Fayetteville, AR, USA
2004
Edward Williams Gallery, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Hackensack, NJ, USA
Cambridge Multicultural Arts Center, Cambridge, MA, USA
Domestic Threats, Louise Jones Brown Gallery, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
2001
Olin Gallery, Roanoke College, Salem, VA, USA
2000
La MaMa La Galleria, New York, NY, USA
1999
There is No Place Like Home, Park Avenue Atrium, New York, NY; curated by Leah Poller, director, Art Alliance, New York, NY, USA
1998
Broadway Windows, New York, NY, USA
There is No Place like Home, Mercedes-Benz Manhattan ArtSpace (curated by Leah Poller), New York, NY,USA
Through the Window, Doll-Anstadt Gallery, Burlington, VT, USA
1996
Monkey Business, Brewster Arts Ltd., New York, NY (two-person show)
479 Gallery, New York, NY, USA
Watchung Art Center, Watchung, NJ, USA
School 33 Art Center, Baltimore, MD, USA
1995
Manhattanville College, Purchase, NY, USA
Howard County Community College, Columbia, MD, USA
1993
Cunneen-Hackett Art Gallery, Poughkeepsie, NY, USA
Torpedo Factory Art Center, Alexandria, VA, USA
1992
Capitol Hill Art League, Washington, DC, USA
2024
NOISE Media Art Fair, represeted by Vedica Art studios and Gallery, Vienna,Austria
2023
Winter Wonderland, bG Gallery, Santa Monica, CA, USA
Moon Art Fair Hamburg, The Westin Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
Artists for the Cure: Breast Cancer Awareness Event, 114 West 71st Arts, New York, NY, USA
Mythos, The Gallery Space, Rahway, NJ, USA
2022
The In-Between Space, Riverfront Art Gallery, Yonkers, NY, USA
Stand with Ukraine, One Art Space Gallery, New York, NY, USA
2021
An Imaginal Affair, artamour, New Delhi, India (online)
Vasteras International Art Fair, Galleri SoHo, Vasteras, Sweden
NYC Art Movement, Triangle Loft, New York, NY, USA
2020
Winter Salon Online Exhibition, Galleri SoHo, Västerås, Sweden
Lucid Dreaming, Outlander Gallery, Jersey City, NJ, USA
First International Online Exhibition, Galleri SoHo, Västerås, Sweden
September 2020: Peacock, Sacrosanct Gallery, Naples, FL, USA (online)
23rd Annual Community Art Jam, Hudson Guild, New York, NY, USA (online)
2019
Worlds Unseen & Seen, Westbeth Gallery, New York, NY, USA
Women Celebrating Creativity, National association of Women Artists, New York, NY, USA
2018
Art Without Borders, Madison, NH, USA
Mystical Forces, Salomon Arts, New York, NY, USA
Emillions, Naples, FL, USA
2017
Blk Clok, Art Basel, Reach Brickell City Centre, Miami, FL; represented by Emillions, Naples, FL, USA
Miami River Art Fair (represented by Dr. Barbara Aust-Wegemund, Art Historian), Miami, FL, USA
Art Below Regent’s Park, London, England
Le Dame Gallery, London, England
ARTROOMS, Melia White House Hotel, Regent’s Park, London, England
2016
Old Truman Brewery, London, England
Art Below and Gallery Orange, New Orleans, LA, USA
2015
Art Busan, Korea, represented by Space 776, Brooklyn, NY, USA
Affordable Art fair, Hong Kong; represented by Space 776, Brooklyn, NY, USA
James Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Betty Dare Art Gallery, Chicago, IL, USA
2014
Aqua Art Miami, The Aqua Hotel, Miami Beach, FL; represented by Space 776, Brooklyn, NY, USA
Perkins Center for the Arts(three-person exhibition), Collingswood, NJ, USA
Age of Innocence, Studio 5404, Massapequa, NY, USA
James Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Betty Dare Art Gallery, Chicago, IL, USA
2013
James Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Betty Dare Art Gallery, Chicago, IL, USA
2012
Art to the Point (selected by Donald Sultan), Katonah Museum of Art, Katonah, NY, USA
MUSECPMI, New York, NY, USA
James Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Betty Dare Art Gallery, Chicago, IL, USA
Longstreth Goldberg, Naples, FL, USA
2011
Inaugural Preview Exhibition, The New York Center of Photography and the Moving Image, New York, NY,USA
James Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Longstreth Goldberg, Naples, FL, USA
Bazar, Betty Dare Art Gallery, Chicago, IL, USA
2010
HP Garcia Gallery, New York, NY, USA
Pulp Friction, James Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Past Forward (four-person show), Target Gallery, Torpedo Factory Art Center, Alexandria, VA, USA
Art, Betty Dare Art Gallery, Chicago, IL, USA
Longstreth Goldberg, Naples, FL, USA
2009
Joyce Dutka Arts Foundation award winners, Hollis Taggart Galleries, New York, NY, USA
Rogue Space, New York, NY, USA
Artexpo, Jacob Javits Convention Center, New York, NY; Artisan Direct, Pittsford,NY, USA
Longstreth Goldberg, Naples, FL, USA
Hudson Gallery, Sylvania, OH, USA
ArtHaus, San Francisco, CA, USA
1212 Gallery, Burlingame, CA, USA
2008
Timeless: The Art of Drawing, Morris Museum, Morristown, NJ, USA
Cancer, New Art Center, New York, NY, USA
Modes of Expression, Deloitte and Touche, New York, NY, USA
ReynoldsWolfe, Center 44, New York, NY, USA
Animals in Your Kingdom, Micro Museum, Brooklyn, NY, USA
Visual Arts Center of New Jersey (curated by Carter Foster, curator, department of drawings), Whitney Museum of American Art, Summit, New York, USA
Artwell Gallery, Torrington, CT, USA
Hudson Gallery, Sylvania, OH, USA
Hefton-Page Fine Art, Blue Ridge, GA, USA
Longstreth Goldberg, Naples, FL, USA
Figurative Works by Gallery and Guest Artists, Outward Appearances, and About Face, ArtHaus, San Francisco, CA, USA
1212 Gallery, Burlingame, CA, USA
2007
Zen of the Artist, Broome Street Gallery, New York, NY, USA
Red, Bergdorf Goodman, New York, NY; curated by Serge Gregorian, director, Contemporary Artists Network, New York, NY, USA
SCAN, New Art Center, New York, NY, USA
Clear Blue Tuesday (movie directed by Elizabeth Lucas; the artist and her work appeared in a gallery opening scene)
Free Play, Islip Art Museum, East Islip, NY, USA
Hudson Gallery, Sylvania, OH, USA
Hefton-Page Fine Art, Blue Ridge, GA, USA
Longstreth Goldberg, Naples, FL, USA
Masters’ Mystery Art Show, Ritz Carlton, Art Basel Miami Beach, FL, USA
five x seven, Arthouse at the Jones Center, Austin, TX and five x seven – on the road: Houston, Gallery Sonja Roesch, Houston, TX, USA
ArtHaus, San Francisco, CA, USA
1212 Gallery, Burlingame, CA, USA
2006
Between Body and Object, Anthony Giordano Gallery, (curated by Pam Brown, gallery director), DowlingCollege, Oakdale, NY, USA
Postcards from the Edge, Sikkema, Jenkins, New York, NY, USA
Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, Summit, NJ, USA
Hudson Gallery, Sylvania, OH, USA
Hefton-Page Fine Art, Blue Ridge, GA, USA
Longstreth Goldberg, Naples, FL, USA
Masters’ Mystery Art Show, Ritz Carlton, Art Basel Miami Beach, FL, USA
Big Fun, About Face, ArtHaus, San Francisco, CA, USA
1212 Gallery, Burlingame, CA, USA
2005
Room With a View Gallery, Shanghai, China
Night of a Thousand Drawings, Artists Space, New York, NY, USA
Multiple Oneness, Park-Art Gallery, New York, NY, USA
Au Courant (three-person show), A Space Gallery, Brooklyn, NY, USA
Gallery Z, Providence, RI, USA
Hudson Gallery, Sylvania, OH, USA
Art Struck Gallery, Blue Ridge, GA, USA
Longstreth and Goldberg, Naples, FL, USA
Margeaux Kurtie Modern Art, Madrid, NM, USA
House Party – Celebrating 15 Years of Breast Cancer Action, ArtHaus, San Francisco, CA, USA
1212 Gallery, Burlingame, CA, USA
Permanent Collection Loan, Main Library, Santa Fe Community College, Santa Fe, NM
2004
What an Art Gallery Should Actually Look Like (Large Glass), Exit Art (curated by Michele Thursz and AnneEllegood), New York, NY, USA
Night of a Thousand Drawings, Artists Space, New York, NY, USA
Play Things, Kirkland Art Center (curated by John Rossis), Clinton, NY, USA
The Drawing Show, Old Church Cultural Center School of Art (curated by Mary Murray, gallery director),Demarest, NJ, USA
National Drawing 2004, The College of New Jersey, Ewing, NJ, USA
Art of Survival, Herspace (curated by Nanci Hersh, artist), West Long Branch, NJ, USA
Looking In/Looking Out, Paul Mellon Arts Center at Choate Rosemary Hall(curated by Ellen Pliskin, artist),
Wallingford, CT, USA
Embodiment: Myths in Animal Form, PostPicasso.com (curated by Ursula), Richmond, VA, USA
Ilse-Neuman, curator, Museum of Arts and Design, New York, NY, USA
Critical Mass, 1708 Gallery (curated by Peter Schjeldahl), Richmond, VA, USA
critic, The New Yorker Artway Gallery, Brampton, Ontario
Masters’ Mystery Art Show, Ritz Carlton, Art Basel Miami Beach, FL, USA, USA
Padulo Longstreth and Goldberg, Naples, FL, USA
Hudson Gallery, Sylvania, OH, USA
Margeaux Kurtie Modern Art, Madrid, NM, USA
Integrate/Disintegrate, Visual Arts Gallery, Santa Fe Community College, Santa Fe, NM, USA
Permanent Collection Loan, Main Library, Santa Fe Community College, Santa Fe, NM, USA
1212 Gallery, Burlingame, CA, USA
2003
Looking In/Looking Out, Paul Mellon Arts Center at Choate Rosemary Hall(curated by Ellen Pliskin, artist),
Wallingford, CT, USA
Embodiment: Myths in Animal Form, PostPicasso.com (curated by Ursula), Richmond, VA, USA
Ilse-Neuman, curator, Museum of Arts and Design, New York, NY, USA
Critical Mass, 1708 Gallery (curated by Peter Schjeldahl), Richmond, VA, USA
critic, The New Yorker Artway Gallery, Brampton, Ontario
Masters’ Mystery Art Show, Ritz Carlton, Art Basel Miami Beach, FL, USA, USA
Padulo Longstreth and Goldberg, Naples, FL, USA
Hudson Gallery, Sylvania, OH, USA
Margeaux Kurtie Modern Art, Madrid, NM, USA
Integrate/Disintegrate, Visual Arts Gallery, Santa Fe Community College, Santa Fe, NM, USA
Permanent Collection Loan, Main Library, Santa Fe Community College, Santa Fe, NM, USA
1212 Gallery, Burlingame, CA, USA
2001
Art Alliance, New York, NY, USA
Boston Corporate Art, Boston, MA, USA
KLFine Arts, Highland Park, IL, USA
Doll-Anstadt Gallery, Burlington, VT, USA
Go Figure, Gallery Bergelli, Larkspur, CA, USA
Steve Stein Gallery, Sherman Oaks, CA, USA
2000
Brewster Gallery, New York, NY, USA
Art Alliance, New York, NY, USA
Emerge2000, Aljira, Newark, NJ, USA
Extraordinary Things: A Study of Contemporary Art through Material Culture, University Gallery, University of Bridgeport, Bridgeport, CT, USA
Hiram Blauvelt Art Museum, Oradell, NJ, USA
Doll-Anstadt Gallery, Burlington, VT, USA
James Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
KL Fine Arts, Highland Park, IL, USA
Latin Influences, Gallery Bergelli, Larkspur, CA, USA
Steve Stein Gallery, Sherman Oaks, CA, USA
1999
Brewster Gallery, New York, NY, USA
Art Alliance, New York, NY, USA
KL Fine Arts, Highland Park, IL, USA
1998
Brewster Gallery, New York, NY, USA
Art Alliance, New York, NY, USA
Lines of Direction, The Biennial at Ben Shahn Galleries, William Paterson University, Wayne, NJ, USA
Summit, New Jersey Center for Visual Arts, NJ, USA
1997
Brewster Gallery, New York, NY, USA
Realities III, Realities IV, Art Alliance(traveled to Fenton Moore Gallery, Buffalo, NY, USA), NYC; New Jersey
Center for Visual Arts, Summit NJ, USA
1996
Brewster Gallery, New York, NY, USA
Realities: International Contemporary Realism, and Realities II, Art Alliance, New York, NY, USA
New Jersey Center for Visual Arts, Summit, NJ, USA
1995
National Midyear Exhibition, Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown, OH, USA
New Jersey Center for Visual Arts, Summit, NJ, USA
1994
Gallery Juno, New York, NY, USA
Irene Leach Memorial Exhibition, Chrysler Museum, Norfolk, VA, USA
American Drawing Biennial, Muscarelle Museum of Art, Williamsburg, VA, USA
1993
Andre Zarre Gallery, New York, NY, USA
Hoyt Institute of Fine Arts, New Castle, PA, USA
1992
American Drawing Biennial, Muscarelle Museum of Art, Williamsburg, VA, USA
Harmon-Meek Gallery, Naples, FL, USA
1991
Sumner Museum, Washington, DC, USA
Hoyt Institute of Fine Arts, New Castle, PA, USA
Collected by various national and international private collections.
2023
Barbara Rachko: True Grit (14 min short documentary), Audience Award, Newport Beach Film Festival,
California, USA
Barbara Rachko: True Grit (14 min short documentary), Best in Category for Art, Architecture, and Design
Award, Newport Beach Film Festival, California, USA
Barbara Rachko: True Grit (14 min short documentary), Honorable Mention, Fine Arts Film Festival, Santa
Barbara, CA, USA
Barbara Rachko: True Grit (14 min short documentary), Award Nominee, Montreal Women Film Festival,
Montreal, Canada
2020
1stDibs (Listed), Emillions, Naples, FL, USA
2018
Artsy (Listed), Fusion Art, Palm Springs, CA, USA
2017
Artsy (Listed) Emillions Art, Naples, FL, USA
2015
Artsy (Listed), Space 776, Brooklyn, NY, USA
AIR Gallery Studio Visit Lottery(Winner), Brooklyn, NY, USA
2014
Artsy (Listed), Tabla Rasa, Brooklyn, NY, USA
2011
Freedom to Create Prize (Nominated), Singapore
2009
Lenore Sagan Visual Arts Awards (Award Winner), Joyce Dutka Arts Foundation, New York, NY, USA
2007
CAN Fellowship Recipient (selected by Barbara MacAdam, deputy editor, ARTnews), Contemporary Art Network, New York, NY, USA
2000
Chosen for the inaugural class,Emerge2000 (selected by Richard Klein, assistant director,Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art), Aljira, Newark, NJ, USA
2012
The Templar Trust, Liechtenstein for a monograph (published by MUSECPMI), New York, NY, USA
2010
The Templar Trust, Liechtenstein, and the Midtown West Arts Association (for a solo exhibition at H P Garcia Gallery), New York, NY, USA
2024
Tom May, “Making sense of loss” in creativeboom.com
John Wisniewski, “Barbara Rachko: A Contemporary Visual Artist” in Cultured Focus Magazine
2023
The Apricus Podcast, “A Conversation with Barbara Rachko” in spotify.com
Renee Phillips, “Amazing Artists” in renee-phillips.com
2021
bold journey, “Meet Barbara Rachko” in boldjourney.com
CanvasRebel Magazine “Meet Barbara Rachko” in canvasrebel.com
artamour, “Barbara Rachko: Flying Colours” in artamour.in
2020
peterdekuster, “The Heroine’s Journey of Barbara Rachko” in theheroinejourney2016.com
NYAC Studio View, “Barbara Rachko” in nyartistscircle.com
2019
Paula Soito, “Interview with Barbara Rachko” (Exclusive), 18 pages, July 2019 # 44 Art Market
2018
Elisa Pritzker, “From Pentagon to Painter” in ABC latino Magazine
2017
Interview, Tiempos, Cochabamba, Bolivia
VoyageMIA, “Meet Trailblazer Barbara Rachko”, Miami, FL, USA
2014
Brainard Carey, Interviewed for Yale Radio WYBC
2023
Became the subject of Barbara Rachko: True Grit, an award-winning 14-min short documentary that had its world premiere at the Newport Beach Film Festival, USA
2023
Member, International Association of Visual Artists
2017
From Pilot to Painter (eBook), iTunes
2014
From Pilot to Painter (eBook), Amazon
Inventor of a science for mixing pastels together to create new colors
Promotes pastel as an important fine art medium