"Fine art is that in which the hand, the head, and the heart of man go together."- John Ruskin
Rachel Magdalen Drennen (born 1998) is a portrait painter and draftsman living and working in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Florence, Italy. After attending the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts with a full tuition scholarship, she moved to Italy to continue her studies at the Charles H. Cecils Studios, where she is currently in her second year. Working in the sight size tradition, she solely paints from life, and aspires to capture the momentary but monumental beauty of her sitters.
In addition to her fine art studies, Rachel also specializes in Italian art history. Prior to living in Italy, Rachel was awarded a three month travel scholarship to study the art and architecture in Italy, France, England, and Spain. For the past two years she's taught live and online, and continues to teach fine art and art history from the insights she's gathered as an artist creating in Florence.
For more information on classes, portrait commissions, and/or other available work, please contact rachelmagdalenart@gmail.com.
Curriculum Vitae
b. 1998, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Education
2021- Present Advanced Painting Studies, Charles H. Cecils Studios, Florence, Italy
2016-2020 Four Year Certificate, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
2019 Art History Studies in France, Italy, Spain, and England
2018 Portrait Sketch Workshop with Colleen Barry, Grand Central Atelier, New York City, NY
Portrait Painting Class taught by Kerry Dunn, Studio Incamminati, Philadelphia, PA
Scholarships and Awards
2023 Future Generation Competition, Honorable Mention, The Portrait Society of America
2021 Scholarship Artist, The Salmagundi Club
2020 The Irma Cook Prize for Excellence in Drawing
Don Sabath Award
Charles Toppan Prize
2019 The Women’s Board Travel Scholarship (three month European travel scholarship)
Don Sabath Award
The Catherine Grant Memorial Prize for Still Life
The Benjamin West Prize
2018 The Louis B. Sloan Landscape or Still Life Prize
The Thouron Prize, Student Vote
The James P. Bonelli Jr. Memorial Prize
The Plastic Club Award
The Mindel Caplan Kleinbard Award
2017 The Ramborger Prize
2016 James J. And Frances M. Maguire Artistic Excellence Scholarship (full, four year academic scholarship)
Full Tuition High School Student Scholarship
2015 CE Community Scholarship
Thomas Eakins Emerging Artist Scholarship
Exhibitions
2022 Drawing from Life, Salmagundi Club, New York City, NY
2021 Allegory Today: The Library Commission, Salmagundi Club, New York City, NY
2020 Women and Nature, DBS Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2020 119th Annual Student Exhibition, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
2019 A Good Habit Formed, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
2019 Considering the Nude, DBS Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2019 118th Annual Student Exhibition, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
2019 New Members Show, The Plastic Club, Philadelphia, PA
2018 The Oxford Art Alliance Annual Juried Show, Oxford, PA
2018 Small Oils Show, The Philadelphia Sketch Club, Philadelphia, PA
2018 117th Annual Student Exhibition, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
2017 The Art of Agriculture, FMC Tower, Philadelphia, PA
2017 116th Annual Student Exhibition, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia PA
2016 War and Rumors of War, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia PA
Collections
Private Collection of James J. and Frances M. Maguire
Teaching Experience
2022-present Assistant Figure Drawing Instructor, Charles H. Cecils Studios
"Fine art is that in which the hand, the head, and the heart of man go together."- John Ruskin
Rachel Magdalen Drennen (born 1998) is a portrait painter and draftsman living and working in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Florence, Italy. After attending the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts with a full tuition scholarship, she moved to Italy to continue her studies at the Charles H. Cecils Studios, where she is currently in her second year. Working in the sight size tradition, she solely paints from life, and aspires to capture the momentary but monumental beauty of her sitters.
In addition to her fine art studies, Rachel also specializes in Italian art history. Prior to living in Italy, Rachel was awarded a three month travel scholarship to study the art and architecture in Italy, France, England, and Spain. For the past two years she's taught live and online, and continues to teach fine art and art history from the insights she's gathered as an artist creating in Florence.
For more information on classes, portrait commissions, and/or other available work, please contact rachelmagdalenart@gmail.com.
Curriculum Vitae
b. 1998, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Education
2021- Present Advanced Painting Studies, Charles H. Cecils Studios, Florence, Italy
2016-2020 Four Year Certificate, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
2019 Art History Studies in France, Italy, Spain, and England
2018 Portrait Sketch Workshop with Colleen Barry, Grand Central Atelier, New York City, NY
Portrait Painting Class taught by Kerry Dunn, Studio Incamminati, Philadelphia, PA
Scholarships and Awards
2023 Future Generation Competition, Honorable Mention, The Portrait Society of America
2021 Scholarship Artist, The Salmagundi Club
2020 The Irma Cook Prize for Excellence in Drawing
Don Sabath Award
Charles Toppan Prize
2019 The Women’s Board Travel Scholarship (three month European travel scholarship)
Don Sabath Award
The Catherine Grant Memorial Prize for Still Life
The Benjamin West Prize
2018 The Louis B. Sloan Landscape or Still Life Prize
The Thouron Prize, Student Vote
The James P. Bonelli Jr. Memorial Prize
The Plastic Club Award
The Mindel Caplan Kleinbard Award
2017 The Ramborger Prize
2016 James J. And Frances M. Maguire Artistic Excellence Scholarship (full, four year academic scholarship)
Full Tuition High School Student Scholarship
2015 CE Community Scholarship
Thomas Eakins Emerging Artist Scholarship
Exhibitions
2022 Drawing from Life, Salmagundi Club, New York City, NY
2021 Allegory Today: The Library Commission, Salmagundi Club, New York City, NY
2020 Women and Nature, DBS Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2020 119th Annual Student Exhibition, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
2019 A Good Habit Formed, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
2019 Considering the Nude, DBS Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2019 118th Annual Student Exhibition, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
2019 New Members Show, The Plastic Club, Philadelphia, PA
2018 The Oxford Art Alliance Annual Juried Show, Oxford, PA
2018 Small Oils Show, The Philadelphia Sketch Club, Philadelphia, PA
2018 117th Annual Student Exhibition, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
2017 The Art of Agriculture, FMC Tower, Philadelphia, PA
2017 116th Annual Student Exhibition, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia PA
2016 War and Rumors of War, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia PA
Collections
Private Collection of James J. and Frances M. Maguire
Teaching Experience
2022-present Assistant Figure Drawing Instructor, Charles H. Cecils Studios
