Top 10 Highlights from 2020
At this time last year, I was happily filling up my new Erin Condren planner with trips and deadlines for the upcoming year. I had flights booked to NYC, Florida and home to New Hampshire. I had even picked out weekends for quick jaunts up to the mountains in Asheville, NC.
Once March and the Charleston Wine & Food Festival came and went, the reality of COVID started to set in. As plan after plan was erased from my planner, my hopes for growth in the year ahead dwindled.
While my journey through 2020 wasn’t what I had planned, I am proud of the amount of artwork I produced and the incredible collaborations that panned out. Looking to this coming year, I am focusing on short term planning. That means allowing short focused spurts of work, more exercise and trying REALLY hard to not forget to eat lunch. But before I get into what I have planned next, I hope you’ll indulge me as I reflect on this past year.
Photo by Kate Blohm
Selected as the Charleston Farmers Market 2020 Poster Artist
While we may not have been able to have a “normal” famers market season, it is an honor and privilege to have been selected as the Charleston Farmers Market poster artist.
“This painting was inspired by diverse locally-grown Lowcountry ingredients which have earned their place as staples on my kitchen table. With our natural ability to eat a rainbow of foods straight from the farmers’ market, it was only natural to create a painting that highlighted the items that are special to Charleston. From persimmons, figs, and okra to shrimp and blue crab, the variety of edible colors found in our natural world never cease to ignite my desire to create.” - Rachael Nerney
2. Accepted into the Affordable Art Fair NYC
Due to COVID, I am waiting for the opportunity to exhibit at the Affordable Art Fair in NYC. I am grateful to have been accepted into the exhibiting artists for Spring 2020 and look forward to the day that international art fairs are able to take place again!
3. Featured on SCAD’s Instagram
“Need ideas for your creative space? @rachaelnerney's studio is ripe with inspiration! 🥑🍋🍑Head to our stories to see how she plants the seeds for bright works of art. Photo by @kateblohm 🐝🐝🐝
#SCADspaces #SCADgrad #rachaelnerney #foodart #studiospace #charlestonartist #spreadjoy #makersmovement #gouache #illustration” - @scaddotedu
4. Scapes Exhibit at Miller Gallery
One of my best friends from SCAD, Kate Blohm, moved to Charleston In August of 2020. We’ve been collaborating for years now and this exhibit at Miller Gallery was one of our most epic to date! Learn more about this food inspired, collaborative exhibit in my past blog posts here.
Sunday Kind of Love I & II, available at Miller Gallery.
5. Tropical Mural at Julia Deckman Studio
I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to paint the exterior of Julia Deckman’s retail studio space. After months of remote computer work, getting outside to stretch my legs and paint was glorious.
6. 50 + Original Mini Paintings
2020 was the year of the citrus minis. I created many color stories sold at both Art & Light Gallery and Miller Gallery. Painting their bright vibrant colors was a form of meditation throughout the uncertainty of 2020.
7. Holiday Ornament Release
Every year I try to top my previous year’s ornament design and I am pleased with how these ones turned out. That being said, what do you want to see on my ornaments next year? I’d love to hear!
8. Five Custom Commissions
Custom work is something that I plan to focus more on in 2021. Working with Miller Gallery and Art & Light Gallery, I create custom paintings for commercial, office and residential spaces. Curious how the process works? I’d love to tell you more! Let’s chat.
9. On-Board with Greeting Card Company Fluttr
In January of 2021 I will be releasing a greeting card collection with a new company, Fluttr. I am very excited to be part of their artist network and look forward to sharing when the cards are available for purchase!
10. Interview with ShoutOut ATL
I had the best time telling ShoutOut ATL more about my journey and to whom I credit my successes to so far. Read the full interview here.
But most importantly, time with family
After many canceled trips and the longest time we’ve spent apart, my parents took the risk of flying down to Charleston for a week in October. We spent a week at Folly Beach and it was my favorite week of the whole year. We cooked the days away and played cards into the night. I hope with all my heart for more days like this with family in 2021.