Printmaker and painter Rachael K Murphy was born in Massachusetts and spent her childhood on Cape Cod and in the Boston area. She moved to Maine in 2017 and attended the University of Maine in Orono where she received a BA in Art Education and a BFA in Studio Art (with concentrations in Printmaking and Painting). She currently works as a picture framer in Portland.

Her art is inspired by outdoor exploration, fixations on scientific studies, and personal introspections that can be universally understood. The artist’s woodcut prints incorporate abstract patterns with anatomically accurate creatures. She creates her prints by carving into a wood panel, applying ink to the surface, and then printing it on paper. Her most notable compositions are long panels showing above and below a waterline.

In some of her work, she reflects on how human activity impacts wildlife in New England ecosystems. Compositions juxtapose terrestrial animals and aquatic life with hints of human activity — whether it be a bridge, powerline, invasive species, or other intrusion. The concept for this work began early on in the 2020 pandemic when spending time in nature was one of the few safe activities. Remnants of humanity still exist even when the world goes quiet. The artist’s newer work explores hand carved wood panels with “tree cookies” (prints of tree rings), constellations, and human measurements of time.

Job Experience and Residencies:

Murphy has experience researching and framing artwork through her positions at picture framing shops and galleries. The artist worked as a curatorial intern through the Zillman Art Museum in Bangor. She held a freelance position cataloging the life work for abstract-expressionist Harold Garde’s that includes over 5000 pieces. These experiences have exposed Murphy to artists of varying backgrounds, past and active, using both 2D and 3D media. The sheer quantity of different artwork that has passed through her hands is unmatched and inspires her to push forward with her own work.

In 2022, Murphy’s work was featured on the cover and in an article of Spire: Maine Journal of Conservation and Sustainability located at the University of Maine. In the summer of 2022, she was among the first artists to participate in the Running with Scissors EMERGE artist residency program for recent college graduates. The artist is currently working as a picture framer in Portland, ME and is a member of Circling the Square Press printmaking co-op in Gardiner, ME. She is also a featured artist at Common Roots Studio in Biddeford, ME. She participates in events and exhibitions in Maine throughout the year. Find upcoming events here.