"The land has always been my touching stone." – Rachel Berg

In this episode, I sit down with Rachel Berg, a multifaceted artist whose work blends diverse cultural influences and artistic mediums. Rachel's unique background, combining Mnicoujou, Lakota, Mexican, and German heritage, serves as the foundation for her creative expression and worldview. This episode offers a glimpse into the mind of an artist who bridges cultures, pushes creative boundaries, and finds inspiration in the natural world around us. Rachel's story is a testament to the power of art in exploring identity, connecting communities, and fostering a deeper understanding of our shared human experience.

About Rachel Berg:

Rachel Olivia Berg (Mnicoujou Lakota, Mexican, German) works in diverse media as an artist, teacher, and the founder of LivArtfully Studio. Graduating from Princeton University and Columbia University Teachers College, since 2004 she has designed and fabricated custom large-scale commissions in notable commercial projects across Turtle Island. Berg expanded her studio practice in 2023 to engage with research-based methodologies that explore Indigenous ontologies, histories, healing, and cultural relationships to nature and ecology. Berg was a 2023 Emerging Artist Fellow with the Ann Street Gallery in Newburgh, NY. She is an enrolled member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe.

A Journey of Cultural Exploration

• The complexities of growing up with diverse cultural influences

• The role of language in cultural identity and artistic expression

• How Rachel's multicultural background informs her creative process

• Her educational journey, from Princeton University to Teachers College at Columbia

• The transition from commercial art to personal artistic expression

• How teaching has influenced her approach to artmaking

Large-Scale Installations and Public Art

• The inspiration behind her monumental installations

• Her innovative use of materials and techniques

• The use of repetition and natural elements in her installations

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