Jaci Rice

Hancock County

Painting

B.F.A. Painting (Tyler School of Art, Temple University)Semester Abroad (Temple University Rome Program)

Website

A 2020 Tamarack Foundation for the Arts Emerging Artist Fellowship recipient, I am a figurative and landscape painter working in acrylic and pencil on canvas and wood panel. The majority of my work for the past few years has been focused on the dismantling of the Weirton Steel Mill, the heart of the Rust Belt town I have studied and documented through photographs and drawings for the past 15 years. As the mill closed down parts of its sprawling and dense collection of structures and began demolition and reconditioning of the land it sat on, I have been endlessly inspired by the lifting of the veil, so to speak, of this industrial monolith that has been a beacon of identity and mystery to locals and outsiders alike. I strive to portray these structures and spaces, with respect to their history and effect on the local community, but also with an underlying sense of hope and renewal.

Biography

Born and raised in the gently rolling hills and farmlands of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, I earned a BFA in Painting/Drawing at Tyler School of Art (Temple University) in Philadelphia, PA. In 2008 I moved to Pittsburgh, PA where my figurative interests turned abruptly toward the eccentric sky-scapes and hillsides of the area. I participated in The Distillery Residency program through The Brewhouse, a gallery/work/live space located on the South Side of the city. After this experience I began to show my work in more juried exhibitions, collector’s homes, and public spaces.
In 2014, I moved to my husband’s hometown of Weirton, West Virginia, a rust belt giant of the Ohio Valley. I began portraying my observations of the surrounding area. In 2018 I participated in, and won first prize in acrylic, at a local juried exhibition entitled Forged By Steel. Since that local juried show, I have participated in consecutive shows at the local gallery and area museum.
Currently a wife and mom of three young children, I carve out time to work in my home studio, participate in shows and juried exhibitions, and take on commission work, which have been mostly portraiture.