Artist Biography

Rhonda began capturing the world around her as a child, first through drawing, and then photography with a mention in poetry receiving recognition and award. In her formative years she became a “go-to” for posters, art projects and heading an art committee—taking to all things art—industrial arts, sewing and fashion design, crafts, music, poetry, drawing and painting.

As a young adult, Rhonda worked in a tattoo shop alongside master artists designing tattoos. She served in community theaters starting with costume and props, then set designer for adult and children’s plays, musicals, and children’s summer theater camps. Rhonda was local chairperson, co-chair, and regional support six years for the National Parent Teacher Association, Cultural Arts Program “Reflections.” Rhonda was lead Teaching Artist in the construction of two large ceramic tile murals with multi-age students for hallway installation at Snowshoe Elementary School, Wasilla, AK and taught a variety of art projects in a place-based education setting.

Rhonda received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art, Magna Cum Laude, with studio emphasis in printmaking and drawing, University of Alaska, Anchorage, continuing with additional graduate studies in K-12 Art Education, UA, Fairbanks. She is a STAR Artist on the Alaska State Teaching-Artist Roster (STAR) with Artist In Schools Program, Alaska State Council on the Arts. She has done artist residencies constructing art lessons and teaching in rural Alaska and Anchorage through grant programs.

Rhonda was awarded a Career Opportunity Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and Alaska State Council on the Arts for a printmaking residency at Pomegranate Editions Studios with Master Printmaker Maureen Booth in Penos Genil, Spain. Rhonda’s work has received recognition and awards including Artist Award, U. S. Capitol Christmas Tree, 2015.  She has shown her work in Southcentral Alaska with several individual exhibits and numerous juried and group exhibits. Her work is in public and private collections including various public schools in Alaska, University of Alaska, Anchorage, and the Zuckerman Museum of Art, Kennesaw State University.