Rachel Villari

Dr. Rachel Villari is an artist and professor, with over 20 years of experience as an abstract painter and more than a decade as an educator. She has taught a wide range of traditional studio, computer-based design, animation, film, photography, and art history courses at Rhode Island School of Design|CE, Johnson & Wales University and Northeastern University. Her abstract paintings have been exhibited both domestically and internationally, with recent shows in New York City, London, Italy, Spain, and France. Rachel is featured in Curatorial Volume 1: Leaders in Contemporary Art, a book that documents the creative practices of artists working in various disciplines from around the world. She holds a Ph.D. in Humanities with a specific focus in early modern abstract artist Hilma af Klint.

In her art history research, Rachel addresses the pressing need to elevate the voices of underrepresented artists whose contributions have often been sidelined within the dominant narrative. Her work adopts an inclusive approach, amplifying the perspectives of marginalized artists and exploring diverse artistic expressions across different cultural contexts and historical periods. By examining the work of artists historically excluded from mainstream discourse, Rachel aims to challenge conventional narratives and broaden our understanding of the complexities of art-making practices.