{"id":435648,"date":"2026-01-28T22:36:15","date_gmt":"2026-01-28T22:36:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/435648\/"},"modified":"2026-01-28T22:36:15","modified_gmt":"2026-01-28T22:36:15","slug":"local-painters-vivid-landscapes-capture-light-and-movement-madison-magazine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/435648\/","title":{"rendered":"Local painter’s vivid landscapes capture light and movement | MADISON MAGAZINE"},"content":{"rendered":"

In Rachel Christopoulos\u2019 Mount Horeb studio, an in-progress painting of a forest scene with light spilling through dense branches sits on a wooden easel. Purple, blue and yellow paint dots the surrounding furniture, and the room is filled with an assortment of prints, stickers and postcards.\u00a0<\/p>\n

While her studio is a testament to her signature aesthetic\u2009\u2014\u2009an \u201cimpressionist pop art\u201d style that incorporates vibrant colors and visible brushstrokes to capture light and movement\u2009\u2014\u2009it was only eight years ago that Christopoulos first picked up a paintbrush.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was horrible,\u201d she says, remembering when she locked herself in a spare bedroom to drudge through unremarkable first attempts. \u201cI was like\u2009…\u2009\u2018This is not working out. What am I doing?\u2019\u200a\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

But over time, her practice paid off. Christopoulos\u2019 work has been featured by major art supply brands like Strathmore and Michaels. She also hosts a podcast, \u201cArt Crisis,\u201d that discusses the problems creatives face today, like dealing with burnout, balancing passion projects and creating products that sell.\u00a0<\/p>\n

With depictions of Midwestern landscapes and scenery\u2009\u2014\u2009like Devil\u2019s Lake State Park or the Memorial Union Terrace\u2009\u2014\u2009Christopoulos aims to capture the essence of a place or object instead of recreating a reference photo exactly. Every painting starts with a layer of neon pink or bright orange, and then a \u201cvery loose, very messy, blurry blob of colors,\u201d says Christopoulos. With each layer, she adds more details and colors, tweaking as she goes.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI want [my artwork] to feel fun and dreamy and approachable,\u201d says Christopoulos.\u00a0<\/p>\n

From the Artist: Rachel Christopoulos<\/p>\n

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Photo by Christine Dopp<\/p>\n

Signature Style<\/p>\n

I usually describe my work as impressionist pop art. It\u2019s very color focused.\u2009But I also paint a lot of pop culture things. Very Wisconsin things. I don\u2019t want to limit myself to the things that have always been seen as fine art.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Make It Work<\/p>\n

If I have to clean it up and take a color out or put a different color in\u2009…\u2009I\u2019m brainstorming on the canvas. [I ask myself], \u201cWhat needs to go? What do I have to [add to] this? How do I crack this so it\u2019s harmonizing?\u201d It\u2019s layers and layers of problem-solving.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Let the Light In<\/p>\n

I play a lot with light in my pieces because it allows me to bring in so many more colors. The more color, the better. The more I can push it into that kind of psychedelic world, the better I feel about what I\u2019m making.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Earned Confidence<\/p>\n

Learning how to trust myself and my art has been one of the biggest things for me as an artist.\u2009…\u2009I feel really good about what I\u2019m making 1769639770. It feels very authentic to who I am and what I enjoy most in life.\u00a0<\/p>\n


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Christopoulos has studio and exhibit space in Mount Horeb\u2019s Makers Market Square, a year-round indoor marketplace with art exhibits, a maker\u2019s mall and public studio spaces. About two days a week, she works out of Artisan Studio 6, which also offers a display of prints and exclusive products for purchase.<\/p>\n

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Working with acrylic paint\u2009\u2014\u2009which dries quickly and layers well\u2009\u2014\u2009allows Christopoulos the freedom to adjust as she paints. \u201cI love how forgiving it is,\u201d she says. \u201cIt is amazing to be able to just reshape and rework a piece as many times as it needs. It feels like I\u2019m never stuck.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The only color Christopoulos rarely uses, surprisingly, is black. To create contrast or shadows, she\u2019ll use Prussian blue (a very dark shade of blue) or purple. \u201cI think that helps my paintings not get so heavy or dull,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

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Christopoulos focuses on Midwestern culture and scenery\u2009\u2014\u2009so, naturally, there are a few cows alongside the other scenes in her print shop. Her \u201c608 Cow Print,\u201d which depicts a Holstein with a yellow ear tag referencing Madison\u2019s area code, is one of her most popular pieces.<\/p>\n

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Christopoulos has studio and exhibit space in Mount Horeb\u2019s Makers Market Square, a year-round indoor marketplace with art exhibits, a maker\u2019s mall and public studio spaces. About two days a week, she works out of Artisan Studio 6, which also offers a display of prints and exclusive products for purchase.<\/p>\n

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Working with acrylic paint\u2009\u2014\u2009which dries quickly and layers well\u2009\u2014\u2009allows Christopoulos the freedom to adjust as she paints. \u201cI love how forgiving it is,\u201d she says. \u201cIt is amazing to be able to just reshape and rework a piece as many times as it needs. It feels like I\u2019m never stuck.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The only color Christopoulos rarely uses, surprisingly, is black. To create contrast or shadows, she\u2019ll use Prussian blue (a very dark shade of blue) or purple. \u201cI think that helps my paintings not get so heavy or dull,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

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Christopoulos focuses on Midwestern culture and scenery\u2009\u2014\u2009so, naturally, there are a few cows alongside the other scenes in her print shop. Her \u201c608 Cow Print,\u201d which depicts a Holstein with a yellow ear tag referencing Madison\u2019s area code, is one of her most popular pieces.<\/p>\n

Rachel Christopoulos | Instagram: @rachelsshoppe.co<\/a> | rachelsshoppe.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Sophie Wooldridge is a student at the University of Wisconsin\u2013Madison and an arts associate editor at The Badger Herald.<\/p>\n

\u200bCOPYRIGHT 2025 BY MADISON MAGAZINE. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.<\/p>\n


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