Rae Duncan is an artist who works primarily in the medium of paper. Early in her career, she exhibited her illustrative artwork in gallery art shows throughout Southern California.
She earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Fine Arts from California State University, Los Angeles. Professionally, she has over 25 years of art experience in the corporate arena. She held various positions, beginning as an Illustrator, Graphic Designer, and Apparel Designer, and worked her way into leadership positions as an Art Director, Creative Director, Director of Marketing & Advertising, and ultimately, as Director of Product Development. Her career provided her with the wonderful opportunity to work in and travel to numerous other countries worldwide, primarily in mainland China. She is genuinely grateful for those opportunities, as they afforded her a chance to learn from the many artisans she met along the way.
Today, Rae specializes in paper art, fashioning handmade designs from all paper types —archival, recycled, specialty, cardboard, and more.
Rae Duncan at her 2020 Art Installation “Vivid Blooms”
“I truly enjoy the artistic experience of creating something beautiful from nothing more than a few pieces of paper and my imagination,” Rae said. “Nature usually directs my path, and I constantly draw upon it for inspiration. Through my art, I show the fluidity of paper, revealing the many possibilities of this material and bring forth the beauty that lies within.”
Rae sells her original paper art paintings primarily through local galleries, via personal referrals, and during the annual Newnan-Coweta Juried Art Show. These paintings are made with hand-cut archival paper, individually placed and mounted onto canvas, then sealed with gel medium or resin.
Rae also enjoys paper crafting, where she creates exhibits and sells exquisite handmade floral creations from crepe paper, bond paper, archival papers, and even recycled books! Her unique style combines a bit of whimsy with familiar forms, usually found in nature. Each design has its unique beauty, depending on how the pages were deconstructed, dyed, and reconstructed.
“I purposefully chose paper as my medium to promote sustainability,” Rae said. “I primarily use recycled materials, especially books, to combine my greatest passions, art and reading.”
Another way that Rae demonstrates her love of art is through teaching paper art workshops. Rae has taught these educational and entertaining workshops for the past ten years. Rae conducts these workshops exclusively for libraries, and they are highly successful in enhancing each library’s adult education programs, driving up attendance, and fostering goodwill within the community,
Rae added, “It is widely accepted notion that participation in the Arts, no matter what type, is an enriching activity that’s beneficial to all those who participate!”
Rae believes in being actively involved in her community and enjoys volunteering. She currently serves as the vice president of the Newnan-Coweta Art Association (NCAA) and the NCAA Chair of the Student Scholarship Committee, working in partnership with the Patrons of the Centre Student Scholarship Board. Before these positions, Rae served as a board member of the Friends of the Coweta Public Library System (CPLS-FOL). She volunteers at her church, Saint Smyrna Baptist Church, when time permits. She is also a lifetime member of the Diamond Bar Friends of the Library in California—her former home—and is a member of the California State University, Los Angeles Alumni Association.
Rae resides in Newnan with her family.
To keep up to date with Rae’s latest work, follow her on Instagram. In addition, she accepts limited local commissions. You can reach her via email at [email protected].