Rachel Azzinaro is a graphic designer and artist currently living in Richmond, Virginia. She has a deep and multifaceted love for printmaking, history, the great outdoors, science fiction, letterpress printing, ancient art, poster design, and theory. Her art practice combines a fascination in humanity’s natural and speculative impact on the world and on history.
She graduated summa cum laude, with a BFA in Graphic Design and Art History minor from Virginia Commonwealth University. The highlight of her undergraduate career was receiving the Dean’s International Research Grant to conduct art historical research in Yucatan, Mexico. There, Rachel studied the immersive art and architecture of the ancient Maya, and its inextricable link to their spiritual beliefs while traveling to Mayan ruins, cenotes, and caves.
While having spent much of her career in digital graphic design and art education, branding, and freelance, Rachel has spent a large amount of her free time with letterpress printing, bookbinding, and etching. Rachel started the small business Three to the Em Prints as a way to house her products and projects under one name, and now sells her prints and designs online and in various storefronts in Richmond.
She is currently a freelance graphic designer for the Weinstein Jewish Community Center and the Virginia Opera, and also takes on contract work for clients, including environmental and civic education organizations and engineering nonprofits such as Denny Civic Solutions, Open Space Education, and Launch! Consulting. Additionally, Rachel teaches several letterpress classes each season at the Visual Arts Center of Richmond, where she completed an artist residency, and serves as a substitute teacher at the Reggio Emilia-inspired Sabot School, where she previously taught studio art full-time.
Her personal practice encompasses her deep and multifaceted passion for traditional folk art, history, permaculture, native plants, ancient art, language, and biomimicry. Rachel combines these subjects with her love of printmaking and graphic design, and has recently been exploring fiber mediums with storied histories such as quilting and basket weaving.
Rachel spends her time rock climbing, gardening, hiking, playing Sims, reading, spending hours on Pinterest, and updating her portfolio website.