Catching Up! How is it 2025?!?
Hello Everyone,
It has been a while since I posted anything here - Some of you are aware that I’m in the process of a 3 yr MFA at the University of North Texas. Going back to get another degree as an older student is no joke, but it is expanding my work in fantastic ways.
Last year was a big year of growth in my work as well as being in several exhibitions, teaching undergrad classes and just trying to navigate life.
2025 has some exciting things in store that I will share about later but I will be attempting over the next month to add new work to this website and my Artwork Archive site.
I’m still open for commissions and if you see work you are interested in just contact me to discuss purchasing.
Thanks for checking in and looks for more updates soon!
-Tamara
Exhibtion Atlanta GA Opening September 22 and Artist Talk- Commercial Work in A Fine Art Setting
In Atlanta Georgia - This Saturday September 23rd 2023 at 2PM
Join me for ‘ Another Gaze: Women photographers of Hip Hop “ at Gallery 72 ( 72 Marietta St SW) as part of Elevate Art Atlanta @Elevateartatl
I’m thrilled to be sharing a large selection of my Hip Hop archive from decades of my music photography work. Many of the images in this exhibition have never been seen outside of the original publications and media sources they were created for and will be shown as photographic prints for the first time.
Honored to be sharing this exhibition with Shelia Pee Bright , Julia Beverly, Carolyn Grady and works from Shelia Turner.
Thank you to the City office of the Mayor of Atlanta/ Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs @ATLOCA for including me.
Commercial Photo Work - Nominated for Abbey Road Studios Music Photography Awards
My Image of Too Short from 1994 has been nominated in the Abbey Road Studios 50 yrs of Hip Hop category.
The awards are happening Sept 21st in London England at Abbey Road Studios and they released this short film about the nominees and images this week.
Exhibtion - Winter Wonderland at Front Room Gallery Hudson NY. Nov.26th 2022 to Jan. 1, 2023
This show has an impressive roster of artists and I’m thankful to Front Room Gallery’s Kathleen Vance and Daniel Aycock for including me in the exhibition.
Please take the time to go by if you are in the Hudson Valley and be aware this is a Holiday show that is set up so collectors can take works with them (for gift giving purposes) so the works may change out over the month.
From Front Room:
WINTER WONDERLAND
November 26, 2022- January 1, 2023
HUDSON WINTER WALK Saturday, December 3rd 5PM
WINTER WONDERLAND Reception December 10th 5-8PM
Sasha Bezzubov, Thomas Broadbent, Phil Buehler, Jaynie Crimmins, Peggy Cyphers, Melissa Cowper-Smith, Beth Dary, Lee Day, Debra Drexler, Kathy Greenwood, Judy Haberl, Jessica Hargreaves, Sean Hemmerle, Amy Hill, Patricia Fabricant, Barton Lewis, Lisa Levy, Pamela Longobardi, Stephen Mallon, Sascha Mallon, Melissa Murray, Anna Ortiz, Melissa Pokorny, Ken Ragsdale, Tamara Rafkin, Emily Roz, Eileen Sackman, Miho Suzuki, Patricia Smith, Joanne Ungar, Danny Weiss, Zoe Wetherall, Edie Winograde, and others.
Front Room is proud to present Winter Wonderland, a festive holiday exhibition, with works by over 35 artists to bring you holiday cheer. Winter Wonderland features works in: oil on panel, porcelain, photography, paper sculpture, intaglio, defunct currencies, wax works and a site specific ceramic and found object installation by Sascha Mallon with projections.
Newburgh Open Studios 2022 - September 24th and 25th!!!
Down on the Cooper. Colored Clay. 11 section work. 12’ wide x 4’ high x 6” deep.
This Year for Newburgh Open Studios 2022 I’ll be sharing with you the first of my water inspired wall sculptures - Down on the Cooper . This work is the culmination of years of water watching and my love for the river I grew up on in Charleston S.C.
You will find this work on the 2nd floor at Atlas Studios (11 Spring St) outside Studio 2S and you can find maps for Newburgh Open Studios 2022 at Newburgh Art Supply on Grand St or online here
Saturday Sept. 24th and Sunday Sept. 25th from 12pm to 6pm ( Sunday may wrap a little earlier, make sure not to wait till the last minute!!)
I will also have smaller works available for purchase inside Red Goose Studios in Studio 2S along with photographs as part of a salon print viewing of works from The Fix Photo Collective.
I hope you will come to Newburgh NY and enjoy the art - remember to buy art from living artists and this is a great chance to do that!
“Scenes from America : Hacienda Hotel Rt.66 “ 2021 (c)Tamara Rafkin
Studio Sale - ONLY 4 more Days!Through May 19th.
Have you been wanting some of my work? Now is a great time to add to your collection - for your personal, work or business spaces.
I’ve sent out the info to my mailing list and announced it on social media through FB and IG but maybe you haven’t heard I’m having a Spring Studio Sale of ready to hang artworks in my studio.
Go here to see what’s in the sale!
I need to make way for more work and pay a bunch of bills - so by adding my work to your life helps my life keep being a creative one! (And I’m extremely grateful for your support!)
If you live within a 60 mile radius of my studio I’ll even deliver the work gratis or you can pick it up from the studio.
I occasionally do a “direct from the artist studio sale” and my mailing list always gets advance notice + extra VIP treatment (sometimes extra discounts, sometimes shipping included, etc.). So, if you would like to get in on special treatment, announcements and info - don’t forget to sign up via the mailing list link in the header!
Hope to hear from you soon -tr
'The Narrative of Things' Press!
The Narrative of Things at Holland Tunnel Gallery in Newburgh NY has been getting a fair amount of attention in the press (which I’m incredibly thankful for!).
Follow the links below to see what is being said about the exhibition which runs through April 10th 2022.
Hudson Valley Press March 9th, 2022
Times Hudson Valley Feb. 23rd, 2022
Opening 'The Narrative of Things'
Opening Tomorrow March 5th ‘The Narrative of Things’
will be on view at Holland Tunnel Gallery in Newburgh NY through March 10, 2022
I hope you will stop by and see this exhibition that I’ve had the joy of curating as well as sharing my ‘Lost&Found"‘ series in.
If you can’t make it on weekends during opening hours please contact the gallery to make an appointment.
-Tamara
"Be Mine" Valentine's Show - Front Room Gallery
Happy to be part of this special Valentine’s Exhibition (on-line) with Front Room Gallery.
I’m honored to be in this grouping with so many artists I admire.
Thank you to Kathleen Vance and Daniel Aycock for including my work.
Saturday March 5th through Sunday April 10th 2022 "The Narrative of Things"
“The Narrative of Things” A Group Exhibition
"The Narrative of Things" is an exploration of the way we attach meaning and stories to objects through memory, collective experience and creation of new meanings.
I am pleased to announce "The Narrative of Things" Opening Saturday March 5th with an opening reception from 5-7pm. at Holland Tunnel Gallery in Newburgh NY.
Featuring Kathleen Vance's "Traveling Landscapes", Norm Magnusson's "Memory Sale", Shari Diamond's "60 year Project" and my own 'Lost&Found" Series , this is the first show I am having the pleasure of curating and I'm exited to bring this work together for you to experience.
I hope that during it's 6 week run (including a performance of "Norm's Memory Sale" on March 12th) you will join us at Holland Tunnel to see this interesting exhibition in the Hudson Valley.
#artexhibition #contemporaryart #hudsonvalleyartists #hudsonvalleyny #newburghny #curating #curator #artist #americanartist #belgianartist
Artwork Archive - my online art sales platform
Hello Everyone!
I’ve been working hard on updating my online world - maybe you have noticed the small updates to teh website?
Well, I’ve also been working behind the scenes to get my work into an online sale platform for those of you interested in collecting my work.
In hopes of making that easier to navigate I’m now on Artwork Archive and slowly building the collections available through this platform.
I will be curating what is available online - with some series/work being only available through galleries and dealers that I’m working with, so if there is something you are interested in and you can’t find it on Artwork Archive please contact me directly through the contact form or any of my other social media message platforms.
You will find on Artwork Archive the Organic Abstracts 2020-21 at this time as well as Ears Across America and an assortment of my ceramic works.
I will be adding works from the Explorations folio and updating the site weekly - so please feel free to check it often.
Thank you so much for following what I do and as always let me know if your interested in purchasing work, commissioning something or have an exhibition opportunity for me.
-Tamara
Newburgh Open Studios September 25 & 26 ! Organic Abstracts on View!
Hi There!
It’s September and that means it’s time for Newburgh Open Studios!
Saturday September 25th and Sunday September 26th from 12-6 pm
65 Liberty Street . Newburgh NY 12550.
***
This year I’ll be showing the new Organic Abstracts 2020/21
which are a more accessible format than a lot of my photo works, printed on 13” x 19” Bamboo Paper that looks like a hot press watercolor paper, in editions of 5.
Some of these works you can see here in the artwork portfolios.
I do hope if you’re in the tri-state area you’ll come to Newburgh to see these works and explore NB Open Studios . If you aren’t able to be here and are interested in these works I am slowly adding them to my Artwork Archive platform where you can purchase them from the studio directly.
Hope to see you the last weekend of this month!
-tr
Something New - Patreon
As the world keeps going around I’m always looking for new ways to support my art practice so I can keep creating work.
With that in mind - I invite you to subscribe to my Patreon page.
If you’re new to Patreon it’s a platform where for a monthly subscription you get undying thanks from me :-), as well as special content that I’m sending your way + bonus additions ( extra content, discounts and actual art) all depending on the tier you subscribe at.
This give me the chance to directly communicate with people that support my work AND it helps with the overhead it takes to keep an art practice active and thriving. It gives YOU the chance to directly support an artist who’s work you believe in and appreciate.
Be a Medici, Rockefeller or Guggenheim in your own way and I hope to see you at Patreon.
March 18 - Virtual Studio Visit with the Orange County Arts Council of NY
Please join me with the Orange County Arts Council of NY for a virtual studio visit.
Thursday March 18, 2021 - 5pm (17:00) Eastern US time zone.
This virtual visit will be a live discussion of my work, artistic practice and more, streamed from my studio and thanks to being virtual can be joined from any location.
Ticket registration is required and OCAC members are free to attend
- there is a suggested donation of $10 for non-members.
Registration through Eventbrite here.
Hope to see you “in the room” - Tamara
January 2021 - Online Interview
As we begin another cycle of a year I’ve been continuing work on a large scale ceramic work destined for a collector , while also making preparations for things on the horizon.
There is hope in making plans, there is light inching later and later each day as we are in the depths of winter; there is creation bubbling up under the surface.
Winter is always a good time for reflection while making these plans and I was happy to do this interview with Shout Out Atlanta online looking at my career and path.
I hope you take a moment to check it out… and as always if you’re interested in my work for your collection, for inclusion in an exhibition or would like to discuss my work please feel free to email the studio via the contact form.
'Dust to Dust' Premiering at Holland Tunnel during Newburgh Open Studios Sept 26/27 2020
Dust to Dust
A Transformative Artwork by Tamara Rafkin
Newburgh Open Studios September 26 & 27th
12-6 pm.
Holland Tunnel Gallery - Outdoor Garden Space.
46 Chambers Street Newburgh NY 12550
We all carry our losses – the people, places, moments, objects, loves and times that have ended or slipped away from us. Standing at a point where humanity is without communal ways to mourn our losses, this project offers a ritual and space to place it.
Transforming the feelings and thoughts of loss via participation with the artwork, viewers will be able to add their own losses to the work by writing what they mourn on clay tiles that Ms. Rafkin will pound into dust as part of the work.
The dust from the tiles will be added to a communal circle that everyone is invited to spend time with over the two days the work is on view during Newburgh Open Studios. We invite you to join in participation with this work which will be held outside in the garden at Holland Tunnel Gallery Newburgh, weather permitting.
We ask you to please observe social distancing rules and hand sanitizing requests while participating with this artwork and the artist thanks you for your understanding in regards to these rules.
“Dust to Dust” is the second in Ms. Rafkin’s transformative artworks, following her “Worries” project where Ms. Rafkin has been collecting the worries of people that she is encapsulating in clay beads to make worry bead strands releasing their worries in the firing of the beads.
"Together for Art" On-line Art fundraiser Auction September 1-10, 2020
Looking to add some new art to your walls?
Starting today - NY Orange County Arts Council's "Together for Art" Online Art Auction is live!
The online auction is only until September 10th - so bid on works you like today!
Original works availble by artists affiliated Orange County NY (including two of mine) - 50% of the proceeds goes directly to the artist.
Both “Crystal Dreams” and “On the Golden Fringe” are available as part of this auction. They are framed for the auction and are from a small edition of 3 , both are analog C-prints.
This is a great way to support the arts in this moment plus get something new and inspiring for those walls you've been looking at!
Also special for my followers/collectors…
If you buy one of my two works and live in a drive-able distance of me in the Hudson Valley NY- I'll deliver the work to you for free, just message me directly with proof of purchase. -TR
50 Day Retrospective - Online via Instagram March 30th to May 19th, 2020
This week I launched the 50 Day Retrospective I’m doing via Instagram counting down the 50 days to my 50th Birthday.
A look at my art career thus far, starting with the work that got me into art college at the Atlanta College of Art & continuing through to the present day with a possible sneak peek at the artwork to come.
I do hope you’ll follow me on Instagram here and enjoy the journey!
20/20 Vision at Holland Tunnel Gallery Newburgh NY ... Feb. 8 > March 29th, 2020
Opening Saturday February 8th
3-7 pm
Holland Tunnel Gallery
Newburgh NY
Exhibition runs through March 29th
Happy to have work from the Sleeping Houses series in this exhibition in the Hudson Valley. Hope you can stop by to see an amazing array of contemporary artworks.
December 2019 !!!
Hello All!
So far December 2019 is full of wonderful events!
Starting Wednesday evening Dec 4th through Sunday December 8th I’ll be showing works from the Scars project as part of ASMP NY’s booth at the Aqua Art Fair (Room 209). I’ll be in Miami for the art fairs and am happy to meet with anyone that might want to talk, drop me a message here or via private message on Instagram to plan meeting up.
2. Opening Saturday December 7th I’ll have ceramic work at Catalyst Gallery in Beacon NY as part of the “Small Works Show”. This show will be up through December and while I’ll be in Miami opening weekend I’ll be in Beacon for a second reception that happens on Saturday December 14th as part of Beacon Second Saturdays. So let me know if you’d like to meet on Second Saturday in Beacon NY and we can make a plan - again contact via my website or private message on Instagram.
So I hope to see you somewhere soon! Remember the end of the year is a great time to add to an art collection you maybe building or starting - plus artwork makes a great gift!
-tr
