Rachel Buse is inspired by playgrounds, fantasies of grandeur and real estate listings. She wrestles with her materials to make large, site specific installations. Many of her works are sewn by hand. This process allows her to work intuitively as if she were drawing in space. The softness of fabric begs to be touched. It's skin-like quality evokes our familiarity with living inside the embrace of clothing.
Currently living and working in Des Moines, Iowa. Buse is the co-owner of Portrait Studio, an interactive drawing exchange between artist and sitter. She also is the Creative Director at Raygun Shirts and a Creative Strategist for Group Creatives.
PROJECTS & RESIDENCIES
Seeds. See Saw Draw. Polk County Heritage Gallery. 2024. Des Moines IA Exchange in the Membrane 2.0. Andy Mohrfeld. 2024. National USA Props Designer. Iowa Choreography Festival. 2024. Des Moines IA Can of Hands. See Saw Draw. Downtown Gravitate. 2024. Des Moines IA Buffalo Show. See Saw Draw. Daisy Chain Coffee. 2024. Des Moines IA Props Designer. Iowa Choreography Festival. 2023. Des Moines IA So Longing. Curated by Hannah Demma. Tugboat Gallery. 2023. Lincoln NE Live from the IA Alps. Curated by Josh Cox. Windy Goat Acres. 2023 Chelsea IA Jr. Art Team presents Heart & Brain. Young Puppeteers Festival. 2023. West Liberty IA Labyrinth #awpants. with Becky Beckett. Public Space One. 2023. Iowa City IA Off The Wall. with Doug Spencer. Mainframe. 2022. Des Moines IA Big Head Parade. Valley Junction. Art Week 2022. Des Moines IA Butter Cow*. AARP. Iowa State Fair. 2021. Des Moines IA Quarantined Pet Holiday Carol Zoom Spectacular. Good Kid Rob. 2020 Downtown DSM Hide & Seek Ornament. DSM Partnership. 2020. Des Moines IA How to Make a Friend. PS1 Autumnal Equinox Art-a-Thon. 2020. Iowa City IA A Very Exaggerated and Even Slower Parade. Valley Junction. Art Week 2019. Des Moines IA Nature Vs. Nature Vs. Nature Vs. with Trey Reis. Yellow Door Gallery. 2018. Des Moines IA Soft Space Digital Residency. 2018. Brisbane Australia Yarn House Live. Active Participant. 2018. Boone County IA Plop. 80/35 Music Festival. 2018. Des Moines IA Sound and Vision. The Lift. 2018. Des Moines IA Map of Things No Longer Here Grin City. 2017. Grinnell IA R & R. Moberg Gallery Downtown. 2016. Des Moines IA We Must Arise and Act! The Residential. 2016. Des Moines IA Pursuit of Happiness. Legion Arts. 2016. Cedar Rapids IA Skin Show. Graceland University. 2015. Lamoni IA Tough Art Children's Museum of Pittsburgh. 2015. Pittsburgh PA Des Moines Social ClubViaduct Gallery Committee Member. 2014-2015. Des Moines IA Do you belong here? Public Space One. 2014. Iowa City IA Art on Dart. Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority Bus. 2014. Des Moines IA UNG. Art Vacancy. Downtown Ames. 2014. Ames IA Big Art Series.Teaching Artist. Link Associates Iowa. 2014, 2015. Des Moines IA Art Force Iowa.Teaching Artist. 2013-2014. Des Moines IA ASAP.Teaching Artist. 2013-2016. Des Moines IA Why Houses Matter. Hillyard Des Moines's White Carpet Gallery. 2013. Urbandale IA Sensory Overload. Whittier Building. 2012. Des Moines IA Des Moines Art Center. Docent. 2010-2015. Des Moines IA Femme Fatale. Instinct Gallery, Des Moines Social Club, 2009, Des Moines IA
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
The Inside. Ol Guild. 2019. Des Moines IA Loophole. Project Project. 2019. Omaha NE Jungle. Grand View University. 2013. Des Moines IA In the Middle, Out. Metropolitan Community College Gallery of Art & Design. 2013. Omaha NE The Inverted Mountain. Thee EYE. 2012. Des Moines IA Under Sheltered Landmarks. Rotunda Gallery. University of Nebraska – Lincoln. 2008. Lincoln NE
OTHER PROJECTS
Director of Creative. Raygun Shirts. 2018 - Present. Des Moines IA Website Creative Strategist. Group Creatives. 2022 - Present. Des Moines IA Website Portrait Studio. Established 2013. Grinnell IA Website Art Beacon Des Moines. Established 2012. Des Moines IA
AWARDS / RECOGNITION
2023 The Peppermint Trail Window Display Contest, The Avenues 2020 Iowa Arts & Culture Emergency Relief Grant Award, Iowa Arts Council 2016 Project Grant, Iowa Arts Council - LAZE Sculptural Invasion 2015 Iowa Artist Fellowship, Iowa Arts Council Video 2015 Chicken Tractor Mini Grant 2013 Project Grant, Iowa Arts Council - In the Middle, Out
