Meet Carole Rabe in Natick

Today we’d like to introduce you to Carole Rabe.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Carole. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I was interested in drawing and painting from an early age. My parents were very supportive. I grew up in a rural central MA town; I spent a lot of time in the woods. I think this experience helped me develop my love of light and space. I earned a BFA in two-dimensional art from Hartford Art School. I then worked as a graphic designer for fourteen years, before returning to school to get an MFA degree in painting from Boston University.

I am an oil painter who works from direct observation of my immediate surroundings. It is important for me to have a connection to the spaces and things that I paint. I spend a lot of time looking before painting. Each painting focuses on a specific time and place–it might be a cloudy morning painting in my kitchen, or a sunny late afternoon painting looking down a hallway. The way light transforms the space is what interests me, as well as how it unites disparate things. I work on several different paintings at the same time.

I use a very limited palette–usually about 4 colors, plus white. I think of limitations as a very positive force in creating a painting. This method allows for surprising and unusual color relationships.

I was an assistant professor of studio art at Pine Manor College for many years. In addition, I directed the Hess Gallery on campus. I retired a few years ago to devote my full attention to my artwork. I show my work at Powers Gallery in Acton, MA. This summer (2018) I have some work at the George Marshall Store Gallery in York, ME. I have exhibited around the New England area. I have recently begun making collages, based on my paintings.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It is always a struggle to balance work (most artists cannot make a living painting!); family; and other obligations. I now have the luxury of devoting full time to painting. I can experiment and try new mediums and methods. I indulge in taking workshops; studying art history; reading; and learning other new things such as a foreign language. I practice my piano playing. I think all these extra-curricular activities feed into my creativity.

There is sometimes the issue of self-doubt. What am I doing? Why am I doing it? Is it relevant? I don’t dwell on that long, but it is important to consider periodically. Each painting is a challenge, a time to be introspective and contemplative. I have produced many unsuccessful paintings, but that is just part of the process; while it feels like a bad day in the studio (which is my entire house!), it is a necessary part of the creative process. When it comes together and a painting works, it is very satisfying.

Carole Rabe – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I sell my paintings and collages through galleries (Powers Gallery in Acton, www.powersgallery.com) and through my website. My work is unique in that it is created from direct observation. I am interested in how the human eye perceives space and how to translate three-dimensional space onto a two-dimensional surface. I never paint from photographs.

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
There is not one specific moment; it is very satisfying to have strangers contact me because they have seen my work online. They reach out to me to purchase a painting–or to simply say that my work resonated with them. I am thrilled that my work speaks to others.

I am proud of the work I did at Pine Manor College. I enjoyed teaching and sharing with young artists (and those who thought they couldn’t draw a stick figure!). I also am proud of supporting local artists’ work through my position as Hess Gallery Director.

Pricing:

• My paintings are sold by size. Prices range from $900 for a small piece to $2200 for a large painting

Contact Info:

• Address: 30 Oakland Street, Natick MA 01760
• Website: www.carolerabe.com
• Phone: 5086532725
• Email: cadmiumred123@yahoo.com
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/carolerabeartist

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