Rachel Lynn Mindrup, BFA, MFA

Richard L. Deming, MD Endowed Chair in Medical Humanities

Associate Professor

Contact

RachelMindrup@creighton.edu
College of Arts and Sciences
Medical Humanities
Fine & Performing Arts
Studio Arts
LECA - Lied Education Center for the Arts - 304

Rachel Lynn Mindrup, BFA, MFA

Richard L. Deming, MD Endowed Chair in Medical Humanities

Associate Professor

Rachel Mindrup is an associate professor of drawing and painting and the Richard L. Deming, MD Endowed Chair in Medical Humanities at Creighton University. She received her BFA from the University of Nebraska - Kearney and then continued with atelier studies at the Art Academy of Los Angeles. She received her MFA from the Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University. Her current painting practice is about the study of the figure and portraiture in art and its relation to medicine, healing and identity. Her son's diagnosis has been the motivation behind her series of portraits "Many Faces of Neurofibromatosis (NF)". She is currently painting someone with NF from all 50 states to bring to Washington D.C. when advocating for federal funding for NF research.

Mindrup's work has been shown nationally and internationally including the Queens Museum in Queens, NY, the Mayo Clinic, Positive Exposure Gallery in NYC, Georgia Regents University, Vanderbilt University and Washington University Medical School. Her artwork is held in many private collections including those of Primatologist Jane Goodall and Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.

Teaching Interests

  • Artistic Anatomy and Painting

Department

Fine & Performing Arts

Position

Associate Professor

Presentations

  • Neurofibromatosis: The People. Albrecht Kemper Museum of Art. The executive director of the museum invited me for a solo show and to work with MOSAIC healthcare systems of St. Joseph, Missouri to highlight NF and paint NF portraits of local residents. These paintings are more in-depth narratives and involve multiple pieces per person 2019
  • The Many Faces of NF. Carnegie Arts Center, Alliance, Nebraska. I was invited to share my portraits of people with NF and give a public lecture 2019
  • The Many Faces of NF. Farell Education Center, Washington University Medical School. St. Louis, Missouri. Invited by Dr. Gutmann and the NF Clinic to display the portraits at the medical school, Jun - Sept 2018 2018
  • Missouri Valley Impressionist Society (MVIS) 7th Annual National Exhibition. Gallery 1516, Omaha, Nebraska. I helped curate and organize this national exhibition along with displaying my current figurative works 2018
  • The Many Faces of NF. Governor's Mansion. Lincoln, Nebraska. Selected and Sponsored by the Nebraska Arts Council 2018
  • The Many Faces of Neurofibromatosis. Norfolk Arts Center. Norfolk, Nebraska.This 2 month exhibition was by invitation. I was able to bring Ashok Shrestha who came to the United States on a medical visa to Norfolk to see his portrait in person 2018
  • All Faces Threaded with Art. Dongfeng Hi Art Space. Taipei, Taiwan. I have been using Google Translate to work with a woman with NF to exhibit my NF portraits of her and others with NF in Taiwan 2017
  • Portrait of a Disorder: Neurofibromatosis. Kansas City Artist Coalition Underground Gallery. Kansas City, Missouri. This exhibition was a collaboration between the KCAC and the NF Central Plains non-profit 2017
  • Midwest Studio Artists Exhibition. Walker's Point Center for the Arts, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. As a recipient of being selected for the state of Nebraska into the MAS Studio Artist program, I was invited to be apart of this group show 2017
  • Portrait of a Disorder: Neurofibromatosis. Lied Art Gallery. Creighton University. Omaha, Nebraska. This show worked the Children's Tumor Foundation to help raise funds for NF research 2016
  • All Faces Threaded with Art. Dongfeng Hi Art Space. Taipei, Taiwan. have been using Google Translate to work with a woman with NF to exhibit my NF portraits of her and others with NF in Taiwan 2016
  • Many Faces of NF. Washington University's NF Clinic Bi-Annual NF Symposium. St. Louis, MO.Invited by Dr. David Gutmann, NF Clinic Director 2016
  • Unwavering Truth: An Archive of Our Own. Slater Gallery, Tufts University. Boston, Massachusetts. This show was all about NF2 (There are 3 types). My portraits were apart of a group show that educated about this form of NF 2015
  • The Content of Character: Portraits of People with NF. Artist Talk and concurrent art exhibition at the University of Nebraska - Omaha. I presented twelve artist talks to various English Composition classes at UNO during the NF Service Learning Semester. The entire English department faculty ran in the "Cupid's Undie Run" which is a benefit for the Children's Tumor Foundation while the English students volunteered. We raised over $1,000 for CTF with this service learning project 2015
  • Unwavering Truth: An Archive of Our Own. Queens Museum. Queens, New York. This show was all about NF2 (There are 3 types). My portraits were apart of a group show that educated about this form of NF 2014
  • Artist Activist: Group Exhibition Featuring Works by Artist Sue Coe and Others. Georgia Regents University. Mary S. Byrd Gallery of Art. Gallery. Augusta, Georgia. I was invited by their curator to exhibit along with other national activist artists 2014
  • The Many Faces of NF. Te Paske Gallery, Northwestern College. Orange City, Iowa. I was invited by the head of the art department to showcase the many portraits of people afflicted with NF and give an artist talk 2014
  • The Art and Science of Neurofibromatosis. ScienceCafe. University of Nebraska Medical Center. Omaha, Nebraska. This was a talk given by myself and a neurologist from UNMC about the science and art of NF 2013
  • River Market Regional Exhibition. Kansas City Artist Coalition. Kansas City, Missouri. Juried by Jerry Saltz. My figurative painting was one of only 2 selected for this regional exhibition 2013

Awards

  • Individual Artist Fellowship
    The Individual Artist Fellowship program recognizes exemplary work by Nebraska artists and provides support through public recognition and monetary awards of $1,000-$5,000. Applicants are adjudicated by a professional, out-of-state panel according to the merit of their work. The program rotates annually, highlighting different artistic disciplines each year.
    Nebraska Arts Council
  • Artist in Residence
    I was awarded the AIR position to work at Homestead National Monument in Beatrice, NE for a few weeks in August. I worked with the rangers and put on a public program showcasing the work done at the monument and teaching the public how to create historical narratives.
    National Park Service (NPS)
  • Artist in Residence
    I was chosen to receive this residency to spend uninterrupted time working on a new body of work at their facility in Frederick, IL. In conjunction with the residency, I put on a public talk and showcased the 6 new NF patients' whose stories I will be sharing in upcoming shows
    Farwell House
  • Artist in Residence
    I was chosen to receive this residency to spend uninterrupted time working on a new body of work at their facility in Nebraska City, NE. The experience working without distraction and meeting other residents from across the country was an amazing experience
    Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts
  • Excellence in Teaching Award
    NISOD Excellence in Teaching Award-University of Texas at Austin.
    NISOD
  • Artist in Residence
    I was chosen to receive this residency to spend time working on a new body of prints at their facility in Ithaca, NY. While there I was able to work with faculty from both Ithaca College and Cornell University.
    Ink Shop Printmaking Center
  • The Mamie E. Johnston, D.O., FACOP, Creative Medical Art in Teaching Award
    This grant is to encourage the use and incorporation of medical and scientific art in teaching and advance the osteopathic medical profession. I used this grant to teach medical students at KCUMB artistic anatomy. I received the grant in 2011 and then again in 2013.
    Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences