Artist Statement

I make sculptures, textile collages, and installations from heirloom clothing, yarn, reclaimed fabrics, and other materials. The language of textiles is that of connection, threading together identity, history, biology, and personal experience. As human beings, we are part of an interacting, breathing membrane, transmitting and receiving the stuff of life between social and psychological systems, ecosystems, solar and cosmic systems. We flow, physically and emotionally, into our surroundings. The materials I use have their own histories, sometimes directly linked to mine, as in the case of familial clothing, sometimes not. Organic patterns in vintage lace and other textiles speak to one another, and seem to pulse with life. Always trying to minimize waste, I bundle together the scraps and ends from my crochet and embroidery
pieces, to form new soft sculptural bodies.

I’ve always loved the forms that nature takes: flower buds and blooms, acorns and gourds, trees, the woods, mountains, rivers, streams. Many of these things are echoed within our bodies, like organs and branching arteries, veins, and capillaries. On the macro end, the cosmic web of galaxies shares structural similarities with our own neural networks. I’m fascinated by the scientific and mathematical frameworks that underlie everything we see. How all of this translates in my work is not always consciously planned out. Everything feels derived from nature-though not distinct specimens or organs or structures or creatures. I work intuitively and these are the forms that come out of me.

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Artist Biography

Rachel Blythe Udell works with fibrous materials to create biomorphic sculptures, embroidered textile collages, and installations. She is the recipient of a 2023 Fellowship from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts for sculpture, and has had solo shows at The Delaware Contemporary in Wilmington, DE, The Philadelphia International Airport, and Grounds For Sculpture in Hamilton, NJ. Her work has been juried into Art14C, an international art fair, and the 2018 New Jersey Arts Annual. Udell graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a bachelor’s degree in Art History, and has studied art and art therapy at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She lives and works in Mantua, NJ.

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Education

2006 - 2007
School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Graduate Studies in Art Therapy

1998
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Bachelor of Arts in Art History
Summa Cum Laude

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Awards and Grants

2024
High In Fiber at Abington Art Center, Abington, PA
Most Unique Application of Material

2023
New Jersey State Council on the Arts Fellowship for sculpture

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Bibliography

2016
Featured Artist, Textiel Plus

2014
Featured Artist, Knotwe.com

News Post, The Art Blog

Work featured in "A Cosmos of Patterns". Director: Jeremy Newman

2012
Rosenberg, Amy S. "Fiber With Feeling", The Philadelphia Inquirer, Interview

Friday Picture Post, The Art Blog

2010
Interviewed as Featured Artist, Manufactured Dissent

Featured Artist of the Month, Philadelphia Women's Caucus for Art

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Affiliations

2019
InLiquid
Member Artist

2018 - 2019
Strobe NJ

2009 - Present
Handmade Philly

2009 - 2012
The Women's Caucus For Art

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Professional Development

2017
Creative Capital Professional Development Program

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Film Collaborations

2024
Portal
Co-direction (with Jeremy Newman) and soundtrack
Cosmic Rocks
Co-direction (with Jeremy Newman) and soundtrack
Flickerings
Co-direction (with Jeremy Newman) and soundtrack

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Group Projects

2013
Yarn Bombing Los Angeles, The Craft and Folk Art Museum, Los Angeles, CA

2012
Yarnbomb Consortium, Manchester, United Kingdom

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Affilations

2019-present
Inliquid.org

2018- present
Strobenj.org

2009 - 2012
The Womenʼs Caucus For Art

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Poetry

2020
“Tiny Bones” featured in Certain Circuits Magazine (virtual)

2012
“U (for Judy)” featured inCertain Circuits Issue 2.1 (print)

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Press and Media

2024
Dube, Ilene. “‘We Are The River’ Uses Beauty to Convey a Dire Warning,” JerseyArts.com
Artwork featured in PAUL Magazine

2023
Installation featured in PHL Art at the Airport: Celebrating 25 Years 1998-2023

2020
Interview on Pocket Dimension and the pandemic, Inliquid.org

2019
Art and interview featured in Murze Magazine, Issue 9

2016
Featured Artist, Textiel Plus

2014
News post – Marrone memorial planned, NextFab 3D prints an electro video, Rachel Udell at GFS, Corcoran changes, opportunities and more, The Art Blog
Featured Artist, Knotwe.com
Artwork featured in documentary film, A Cosmos of Patterns by Jeremy Newman

2013
Embroideries featured in short film, Splendor, by Jeremy Newman

2012
Friday picture post – Outside/Inside the Box at the Icebox, The Art Blog “At FiberPhiladelphia’s ‘Outside/Inside the Box’ show, it’s all touchy-feely,” Amy S. Rosenberg, Philadelphia Inquirer

2010
Featured Artist , Manufactured Dissent
Featured Artist , Philadelphia Womenʼs Caucus for Art

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Collaborative Projects

2013
Yarn Bombing Los Angeles, Installation at The Craft and Folk Art Museum, Los Angeles, CA

Embroideries featured in short film "Splendor". Director: Jeremy Newman

2012
Yarnbomb Consortium, Manchester, United Kingdom

Fiber Artwork and Performance featured in "Girl Gangs," by Lora Bloom and Bonnie MacAllister Classwar Karaoke: 0017 survey/29th February

2010
Women's Caucus for Art and Arise Charter High School, Philadelphia, PA

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Art Fairs

2022
Art14C Juried Showcase, Jersey City Armory, Jersey City, NJ
Jurors: Katie Henry, Susan Nelly, and Ulysses Williams

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Auctions

2024
Inliquid Benefit Auction, Philadelphia, PA

2022
Dawn's Palette: Virtual Art Auction Benefitting Survivors at Dawn's Place, Philadelphia, PA

2021
Inliquid Benefit Auction, Philadelphia, PA
Dawn's Palette: Virtual

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Exhibitions

Solo

2024
Lush Morphology, The Delaware Contemporary, Wilmington, DE

2023
Hypnagogic Habitat, Philadelphia International Airport, Philadelphia, PA,

2020
Pocket Dimension, InLiquid Vestibule at Old City Publishing, Philadelphia, PA,

2014
The Shapes of My Dreams and of My Nightmares, Grounds for Sculpture, Hamilton, NJ

2013
Spring Forward: Contemporary Art in Historic Houses, Lemon Hill Mansion, Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, PA
Installation

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Two - Three Person Shows

2024
Alternative Threads, Arts & Innovation Center at Rowan College of South Jersey, Millville, NJ

2021
Ariadne Slept Here, The Plastic Club, Philadelphia, PA

2015
Spaces Between, The Perkins Center For the Arts, Collingswood, NJ

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Select Group Shows

20225
Atopos Adaptation, InLiquid Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

2018
Navigating Elements Arts Annual Exhibition
New Jersey State Council on the Arts
Rowan University Art Gallery, Glassboro, NJ
Jurors: Ysable Pinyol and Jodi Throckmorton

2012
Outside/Inside the Box
Fiber Philadelphia International Biennial
The Ice Box, Crane Art Center, Philadelphia PA, 2012
Jurors: Elisabeth R. Agro, Bruce D. Hoffman and Judith Weisman

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Group

2023
Strobe Signature Artists Exhibition, Arts & Innovation Center, Rowan College of South Jersey, Millville, NJ

Again and Again, InLiquid galleries at Parktowne Place, Philadelphia, PA

2022
The Art of Whimsy: More Than Meets The Eye, 1040 Creative, Philadelphia, PA

Ancestral Intersections, New Hope Arts Center, New Hope, PA

Exploring Emotions Through Color, The Plastic Club, Philadelphia, PA

2021
Clique21, Perkins Center For The Arts, Collingswood, NJ

2020
Unprecedented Times, University City Science Center, Philadelphia, PA

Strobe Signature Artists, Riverfront Renaissance Center for the Arts, Millville, NJ

Fragile Beauty, Salem Art Bank, Salem, NJ

2019
New Now III, The InLiquid Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

Interwoven, BSB Gallery, Trenton, NJ

‍Summer Whimsy, Jed Williams Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

Art Underground, The Basement, Philadelphia, PA

2018
Knot Up To You, High 5 Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

Threads of My Identity, Atlantic Highlands Arts Council, Atlantic Highlands, NJ

The Earth Speaks, The Barron Art Center, Woodbridge, NJ

Opening Up, High 5 Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

2017
Mi Corazon, Eye's Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

2016
Growing Creativity, Jed Williams Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

Stand With Standing Rock, Eris Temple Arts, Philadelphia, PA

3rd Annual Day of the Dead Show, Eye's Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

2015
Small Works, Da Vinci Art Alliance, Philadelphia, PA

‍Spaces Between, The Perkins Center for the Arts, Collingswood, NJ

2014
Flora Fauna, Jed Williams Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

2013
Bigger Bits and Pieces, Metropolis Collective, Mechanicsburg, PA

2012
‍Jouissance:: Play, Et al Productions, New York, NY

Bits and Pieces, Metropolis Collective, Mechanicsburg, PA

A Taste of Trash, Metropolis Collective, Mechanicsburg, PA

Stitch Witchery, Nichols Berg Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

More Stitch Witchery, The Painted Bride, Philadelphia PA

Gender Games, International House, Philadelphia, PA

2011
The Ragdoll Project for Human Trafficking Awareness, Multiple locations, Philadelphia, PA

Synthetic Zero and {SØNiK} Fest, Bronx Art Space, New York, NY

Collaborate: Collaborator, Eris Temple Art Space, Philadelphia, PA

Women and Water, International House, Philadelphia, PA

3rd Street Gallery Invitational, 3rd Street Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

2010
Art for the Urban Collector, Highwire Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

Plexus, Rocket Cat Cafe, Philadelphia, PA

Devotion, Highwire Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

Women, International House, Philadelphia, PA

2009
Various and Sundry, The Skybox at 2424 Studios, Philadelphia, PA

Girls Gotta Run: Bodies in Motion, Holy Family University, Philadelphia, PA

2008
Grand Small Works, F.U.E.L. Gallery, Philadelphia, PA