Rachael Bercey is a trailing-edge baby boomer who creates in watercolor, acrylic and collage in her small studio at home. She was born in Flower-Fifth Avenue Hospital in NYC and came to Austin by way of Connecticut, Nebraska, Costa Rica, Arizona, and New Mexico. Rachael grew up surrounded by creatives on both sides of the family—painters, interior designers, architects, and antique collectors.

I am primarily an abstract watercolorist who adds pops of graphite and ink for variety. Through the entire process of painting in watercolor I handle the paper as if it is fabric—after an area of the painting has completely dried, I sometimes submerge the entire piece into a tub of water. After the paper is saturated with water, I like to edit or remove the hard lines and soften edges by gently moving, and sometimes scrubbing, a wide Haik brush over the entire painting. This process definitely slows down the building up a values, but it allows me more flexibility in building transparent hues and softer transitions between values. Many of the shapes and patterns in my paintings are inspired by the geometric compositions found in Mid Century art and graphic design. I am inclined to choose a cooler, more muted color palette and hard edges, patterns, and lines are my obsession currently. Given the state of our world, my intention is to bring more harmonious, quiet, calm, contemplative energy into my life and lives of those who view my work.