About

Rachel Gardner is best known for her hauntingly playful, white, paper maché wolf sculptures. Growing up in Sugar Land, TX, she longed to feel connected to the wild and deep nature. She often searched for enchanting places that had not been invaded by concrete to connect and explore.

Her early years were spent playing competitive soccer. This led to a collegiate soccer career at both Texas Tech University and Stephen F. Austin State University. When Rachel started dealing with a serious injury her junior year, her love of soccer quickly shifted to the arts. She caught the art bug and never looked back.

Rachel graduated with her BFA in Art Education, with a focus in painting, from Stephen F. Austin State University. She went on to teach elementary art for 2 years. Desiring to learn more and teach at a higher level, Rachel decided to pursue her MFA at Houston Baptist University. She began to study under and was studio assistant to accomplished artist Michael Roque Collins.

Starting graduate school as a painter, Rachel was hungry to get off the canvas. Her second and final year of graduate school, Houston artist Sharon Kopriva led a paper maché sculpture workshop at the university. It was exactly what Rachel was looking for, sculpture with a painterly feel. She soon began creating her wolves.

Rachel now lives in the Houston Heights with her husband Zach and two young children. She is an Assistant Professor at Houston Baptist University where she leads the Sculpture program and teaches both graduate and undergraduate students. When she is not teaching, you may find her working on her new body of work, a large sculptural installation, including creatures beyond the wolf at her home studio.

If you are interested in purchasing any of my pieces, please contact me for prices.

Contact: rachelgardnerart@gmail.com