ARTIST BIO
Raised in Spring Lake, New Jersey, Erin Rigney is an interdisciplinary artist who revels in the magic and connectedness of the natural world. Erin received a B.A. in painting and a minor in philosophy from The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. She went on to study design and founded an award-winning graphic design firm in 1998 that she still owns with her husband today. Erin cites her liberal arts background and connection to spirit as her driving force to seek the interconnectedness of mediums and philosophies in the arts and the universe.
Erin has received acclaim for the serenity of her encaustic Shellscapes Collection. In 2018, her work caught the attention of a neurologist, who commissioned Erin to create an immersive permanent art collection as a therapeutic modality for her patients. In 2022, HBOMax contacted Erin to create a soothing environment for Selena Gomez's Malibu vacation season of her Selena+Chef Show. Erin has exhibited in solo and group shows, and her artwork is part of public and private collections nationally and internationally. Galleries and boutiques represent Erin's art in the U.S. and abroad.
Erin lives in Carbondale, Colorado, in the heart of the Colorado Rockies, with her lively family of five. Carbondale is a funky artists' community designated a Creative District by the state of Colorado. Erin and her husband, Craig, also own the award-winning graphic design firm Rainy Day Designs and are active members of this artistic community.
About the Shellscapes Collection
A beach girl living in the heart of the Rockies, Erin Rigney’s encaustic art is an exploration of the atmospheric designs in shells and the unsung beauty that washes up upon our shores.
“Fascinated by the endless variations of patterns and abstractions in nature, these encaustic paintings focus on my obsession with shards of shells and their visual magic. After years of gathering these overlooked, gorgeous fragments I was inspired to share their oceanic alchemy. Like each of us, they are imperfect yet stunning in their individuality.
Encaustic is a centuries-old process of painting with oil paints mixed with melted beeswax and damar resin. I chose encaustic as my medium for my Shellscape Series because its unpredictable outcomes of fusion and the various sheens produced lend itself to capturing the inexplicable glory of these divine creations. These works are based upon pieces of shells so there is no one orientation to how these works can be hung. I desire to give collectors an opportunity to connect and play with the art personally.”
— Erin Rigney