About / CV
Rachel Rothberg (they/them) is an artist currently living in so-called Bellingham, Washington on Lummi, Nooksack, and Coast Salish land. Rachel has always been driven to share their curiosity and concern for the natural world with others. They are influenced heavily by a background in biology and ornithology, and use academic research, field observations, and outreach to the scientific community to inform their work.
Rachel is a licensed tattoo artist at their shared private studio, Curlew Collective, in downtown Bellingham. When not creating art, they can be found leading birding walks, listening to audiobooks, playing music, and spending time outdoors. For painting purchase, exhibitions, birding, & teaching inquiries, email [email protected]
For tattoo inquiries, contact @rachel.poke on Instagram |
Curriculum Vitae
Rachel Rothberg
rachelrothberg.com
[email protected]
EDUCATION
2021 Bachelor of Fine Arts with an emphasis in Painting, Western Washington University
2020 Bachelor of Arts in Art Studio, Minor in Biology with Honors, Western Washington University
2016 Henry M. Gunn High School, Palo Alto, CA
EXHIBITIONS (* denotes solo exhibition)
* 2024 Presence, Whatcom Museum, Bellingham, WA
2024 Paint it Forward, Make.Shift, Bellingham, WA
2022 October Group Show, Gallery at 3rd & Main, Ferndale, WA
* 2022 Elegy, Jansen Art Center, Lynden, WA
* 2022 Wake, Viking Union Gallery, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
* 2022 Requiem, WB Gallery, Online
2021 Into the Wild, Art Fluent, Online
2021 Material Mind, BFA Exhibition, Western Gallery, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
2021 Seeing Yourself in Nature, Viking Union Gallery, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
2021 Song for Five Zonez, Downtown Bellingham, WA
2021 Outside.In, B Gallery, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
2021 Inside.Out, Viking Union Gallery, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
2020 Reawakening Exhibition, Art Scene West, Online
2020 Art in Isolation, B Gallery Senior Exhibition, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
2015, 2016 Youth Speaks Out, Palo Alto Art Center, curated by Carolyn Digovich, Palo Alto, CA
* 2015 Solo Senior Exhibition, Henry M. Gunn High School, Palo Alto, CA
PUBLICATIONS / BIBLIOGRAPHY
2022 FATHERFATHER Magazine Issue 3, curated by Maggie James
2021 CEDAR: Material Mind: Studio Art BFA Catalog, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
2021 Queerly Collective: Queers Just Wanna Have Fun II
2021, 2020, 2019 Jeopardy Literary Magazine, Bellingham, WA
* 2020 CEDAR: Painting Ecological Change in Pacific Northwest Bird Populations, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
* 2020 SEA LION Zine Featured Artist, curated by Emily Prentice
* 2020 Scholar's Week: Painting Ecological Change in Pacific Northwest Bird Populations, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
GRANTS / AWARDS
2024 Hog Island Audubon Artist in Residence, Bremen, ME
2020 North Cascades Audubon Society Undergraduate Grant: Painting Ecological Change in Pacific Northwest Bird Populations, Bellingham, WA
2020 Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities Award, Bellingham, WA
2020 Western Voices Scholarship, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
2016 - 2020 Western Award for Excellence, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
2014, 2015, 2016 Outstanding Performance in Drawing and Painting, Henry M. Gunn High School, Palo Alto, CA
2014 Outstanding Chemistry Student Award, Henry M. Gunn High School, Palo Alto, CA
2013, 2015 Outstanding Biology Student Award, Henry M. Gunn High School, Palo Alto, CA
EXPERIENCE
2025 Artist Lecture, Frontiers in Ornithology Symposium for Youth, Seattle, WA (upcoming)
2025 "Untitled," Donation Painting to Hog Island Audubon, Bremen, ME
2024 - 2025 Puget Sound Seabird Survey Volunteer, Bellingham, WA
2024 Bird Anatomy and Drawing Class, Curlew Collective, Bellingham, WA
2024 Artist Talk, Hog Island Audubon Artist in Residence, Bremen, ME
2024 Bird Art Walk and Sketch Session, Whatcom Museum, Bellingham, WA
2024 Seattle Bird Collision Monitoring Project Volunteer, Bellingham, WA
2023 - present Christmas Bird Count Volunteer & Leader, Bellingham, WA
2022 - present Licensed Tattoo Artist, Curlew Tattoo LLC, Bellingham, WA
2022 Guest Lecture, BFA Cohort Seminar, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
2022 "Takeoff," Commission Award Painting for Wilson Ornithological Society Early Professional Impact Winner Jordan Rutter
2022 Live Painting, Mount Vernon Farmer's Market, Mount Vernon, WA
2022 Guest Lecture, Visual Dialogue, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
2022 Guest Lecture, Professional Practices, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
2021 Guest Lecture, Visual Dialogue, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
2021 - 2023 Studio Assistant, Bellingham, WA
2021 Teaching Assistant, Painting 1, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
2020 Harmony Elementary School Garden Mural, Bellingham, WA
2019 - 2021 WWU A Capella Club Musical Director, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
2019, 2022 Live Painting, Annual Skagit Valley Tulip Festival, Mount Vernon, WA
2018 - 2022 WWU Birdwatching Club President, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
2018 Pop Up Urban Night Market, Renton, WA
2018 elSage Valley Made Market, Mount Vernon, WA
2017 Scout Camp Counselor, Skylark Ranch, Santa Cruz Mountains, CA
2017 - 2018 WWU Advanced Treble Chorale Section Leader, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
2013, 2014, 2015 Scout Counselor-In-Training, Skylark Ranch, Santa Cruz Mountains, CA
2012 Barron Park Elementary School Garden Mural
PRESS
* 2025 "Rachel Rothberg: Bird painter, tattoo artist," Cascadia Daily, February 6 [video interview]
* 2024 "Local artist uses inks and oils to make universal issues personal," Whatcom Talk, January 16
2022 "New generation of Bellingham tattoo artists move toward change in industry," The Front, November 22
2022 "Connect with creativity at the Jansen Art Center," Cascadia Daily, September 13
2022 "Jansen Art Center celebrates 10 years in August," Lynden Tribune, July 29
2022 "Congratulations to Early Professional Impact Award Winner Jordan Rutter!," Wilson Ornithological Society, May 13
* 2021 "Rachel Rothberg Painting," Video Interview with Tami Landis, June 2
rachelrothberg.com
[email protected]
EDUCATION
2021 Bachelor of Fine Arts with an emphasis in Painting, Western Washington University
2020 Bachelor of Arts in Art Studio, Minor in Biology with Honors, Western Washington University
2016 Henry M. Gunn High School, Palo Alto, CA
EXHIBITIONS (* denotes solo exhibition)
* 2024 Presence, Whatcom Museum, Bellingham, WA
2024 Paint it Forward, Make.Shift, Bellingham, WA
2022 October Group Show, Gallery at 3rd & Main, Ferndale, WA
* 2022 Elegy, Jansen Art Center, Lynden, WA
* 2022 Wake, Viking Union Gallery, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
* 2022 Requiem, WB Gallery, Online
2021 Into the Wild, Art Fluent, Online
2021 Material Mind, BFA Exhibition, Western Gallery, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
2021 Seeing Yourself in Nature, Viking Union Gallery, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
2021 Song for Five Zonez, Downtown Bellingham, WA
2021 Outside.In, B Gallery, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
2021 Inside.Out, Viking Union Gallery, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
2020 Reawakening Exhibition, Art Scene West, Online
2020 Art in Isolation, B Gallery Senior Exhibition, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
2015, 2016 Youth Speaks Out, Palo Alto Art Center, curated by Carolyn Digovich, Palo Alto, CA
* 2015 Solo Senior Exhibition, Henry M. Gunn High School, Palo Alto, CA
PUBLICATIONS / BIBLIOGRAPHY
2022 FATHERFATHER Magazine Issue 3, curated by Maggie James
2021 CEDAR: Material Mind: Studio Art BFA Catalog, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
2021 Queerly Collective: Queers Just Wanna Have Fun II
2021, 2020, 2019 Jeopardy Literary Magazine, Bellingham, WA
* 2020 CEDAR: Painting Ecological Change in Pacific Northwest Bird Populations, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
* 2020 SEA LION Zine Featured Artist, curated by Emily Prentice
* 2020 Scholar's Week: Painting Ecological Change in Pacific Northwest Bird Populations, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
GRANTS / AWARDS
2024 Hog Island Audubon Artist in Residence, Bremen, ME
2020 North Cascades Audubon Society Undergraduate Grant: Painting Ecological Change in Pacific Northwest Bird Populations, Bellingham, WA
2020 Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities Award, Bellingham, WA
2020 Western Voices Scholarship, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
2016 - 2020 Western Award for Excellence, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
2014, 2015, 2016 Outstanding Performance in Drawing and Painting, Henry M. Gunn High School, Palo Alto, CA
2014 Outstanding Chemistry Student Award, Henry M. Gunn High School, Palo Alto, CA
2013, 2015 Outstanding Biology Student Award, Henry M. Gunn High School, Palo Alto, CA
EXPERIENCE
2025 Artist Lecture, Frontiers in Ornithology Symposium for Youth, Seattle, WA (upcoming)
2025 "Untitled," Donation Painting to Hog Island Audubon, Bremen, ME
2024 - 2025 Puget Sound Seabird Survey Volunteer, Bellingham, WA
2024 Bird Anatomy and Drawing Class, Curlew Collective, Bellingham, WA
2024 Artist Talk, Hog Island Audubon Artist in Residence, Bremen, ME
2024 Bird Art Walk and Sketch Session, Whatcom Museum, Bellingham, WA
2024 Seattle Bird Collision Monitoring Project Volunteer, Bellingham, WA
2023 - present Christmas Bird Count Volunteer & Leader, Bellingham, WA
2022 - present Licensed Tattoo Artist, Curlew Tattoo LLC, Bellingham, WA
2022 Guest Lecture, BFA Cohort Seminar, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
2022 "Takeoff," Commission Award Painting for Wilson Ornithological Society Early Professional Impact Winner Jordan Rutter
2022 Live Painting, Mount Vernon Farmer's Market, Mount Vernon, WA
2022 Guest Lecture, Visual Dialogue, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
2022 Guest Lecture, Professional Practices, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
2021 Guest Lecture, Visual Dialogue, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
2021 - 2023 Studio Assistant, Bellingham, WA
2021 Teaching Assistant, Painting 1, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
2020 Harmony Elementary School Garden Mural, Bellingham, WA
2019 - 2021 WWU A Capella Club Musical Director, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
2019, 2022 Live Painting, Annual Skagit Valley Tulip Festival, Mount Vernon, WA
2018 - 2022 WWU Birdwatching Club President, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
2018 Pop Up Urban Night Market, Renton, WA
2018 elSage Valley Made Market, Mount Vernon, WA
2017 Scout Camp Counselor, Skylark Ranch, Santa Cruz Mountains, CA
2017 - 2018 WWU Advanced Treble Chorale Section Leader, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
2013, 2014, 2015 Scout Counselor-In-Training, Skylark Ranch, Santa Cruz Mountains, CA
2012 Barron Park Elementary School Garden Mural
PRESS
* 2025 "Rachel Rothberg: Bird painter, tattoo artist," Cascadia Daily, February 6 [video interview]
* 2024 "Local artist uses inks and oils to make universal issues personal," Whatcom Talk, January 16
2022 "New generation of Bellingham tattoo artists move toward change in industry," The Front, November 22
2022 "Connect with creativity at the Jansen Art Center," Cascadia Daily, September 13
2022 "Jansen Art Center celebrates 10 years in August," Lynden Tribune, July 29
2022 "Congratulations to Early Professional Impact Award Winner Jordan Rutter!," Wilson Ornithological Society, May 13
* 2021 "Rachel Rothberg Painting," Video Interview with Tami Landis, June 2