"Self-Portrait as a 17-year old" by Rachna Radar in Pittsburgh

Rachna earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Pittsburgh as a double major in Studio Arts and History of Art and Architecture in December of 2010 and her Master of Education degree from Carlow University in December of 2015. Her artwork primarily consists of abstract painting and drawing. She earned her Master of Arts degree in Art Therapy with Specialization in Counseling from Seton Hill University in 2023 and is currently working towards licensure as an art therapist. Much of her work uses the concept of stream of consciousness and explores surrealism within the context of the post-modern era. Her influences derive from various aspects of modern life, particularly electronic music and the experiences of being a refugee of the 1990 Gulf War, in terms of using art as a release or channel when dealing with and adjusting to life's circumstances. ​She has participated in group exhibitions at Modern Formations Gallery, 707 Gallery, Garfield Artworks and the Spinning Plate and has had a solo show at Artspace 105, Spak Brothers, Redfishbowl Gallery and Studios, and Irma Freeman Center for Imagination. Artist Statement: "My work is mostly abstract drawing and painting, primarily in watercolor, pencil, and ink, and can be split into two distinctive categories: patterns and landscapes. The pattern style of artwork is influenced by my Indian background, specifically deriving from textiles. I feel the textile and pattern motifs that arise in my work are due to the meditative quality of repetitive marks. I use repetitive