Today we’d like to introduce you to Nikki Rakov.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Born in Virginia and transplanted to Northern California during my childhood, I grew up living a bicoastal life—always lost in creating images through drawing and painting. I was fascinated by history, reading, and culture, and found endless magic in the natural world. Resting upon the giant granite boulders on my grandfather’s farm in California or exploring the rolling, lush farmland and forests of Virginia, nature became my playground. In those early years, I learned to tune into the quiet stories and myths of the landscape. When I was in nature, I felt as though I was sitting on the threshold between time and space—a liminal edge that fueled my deep curiosity and passion for art.
Eventually, I moved to Florida, beginning a decades-long chapter dedicated to education and art-making. After graduating from university, I spent 27 years teaching high school art in North Florida public schools, pouring my time and energy into guiding young artists and watching them launch their own creative careers. During the COVID period, I returned to school myself, earning a Master of Fine Arts in painting from Savannah College of Art and Design.
Today, my husband and I are bringing a new dream to life: opening our own gallery, Rakov Studio Gallery, on historic King Street in St. Augustine. The space will house my active painting studio and serve as a showcase for our artwork. Drawing on my decades as an educator, I am also planning a monthly workshop calendar to offer classes and foster a creative, welcoming hub for our community.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I have had a fortunate and interesting life, and I am grateful for my experiences. We are all confronted by personal obstacles and challenges, but I believe they serve to open new doors and present pathways we are destined to follow. Finding our purpose in life, discovering our true gifts, and feeling confident to express our unique vision may be the greatest challenge. During my career as an educator, I realized how invaluable the experience of inspiring others can be. My challenge now will be to discover new ways to inspire creativity in others, share the magic in the world and encourage others to find their voice through art.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My art explores the quiet space where reality meets myth. Inspired by Anglo-Celtic folklore, ancient traditions, and a lifelong fascination with ghost stories that echo a place’s history, I paint landscapes filled with memory, spirit, and presence.
My process is rooted in travel and field research across the historic landscapes of England, Scotland, and Ireland. I search for “thin spaces”—places where the boundary between the physical and spiritual worlds feels subtle and permeable which evoke the experiences of my childhood in nature. I capture these unique environments through photography and sketchbooks, then filter those impressions through the lens of my imagination back in my studio through paintings and drawings.
Through layers of acrylic paint and drawing media, I create atmospheric scenes, often featuring figures, birds, or animals. These range from thin-space ancestral landscapes to vibrant local Florida scenes—capturing the colors and textures of winding waterways and lush native flora and fauna. I love the physical act of painting—pushing color across the canvas and building up expressive marks and textures to convey how a place feels on a deeper, emotional level through visual story-telling.
Ultimately, my work invites viewers to slow down, connect with the unseen mysteries of nature, and feel a bridge between our modern lives and the ancient past.
How do you think about happiness?
My greatest joy and happiness come from traveling and working in my studio. Travel ignites my curiosity about the world, allowing me to discover new landscapes and the myths and folktales tied to them. I travel often—sometimes solo, and other times with family and friends. I find immense joy in sharing magical places with loved ones and teaching them about the history of a location. When I return to my studio, inspired by those experiences, I completely lose track of time creating new paintings and drawings.
In the past six months, I had the opportunity to attend two artist residencies that allowed me to focus deeply on my two passions: travel and art-making. Through teaching workshops, I continue my love of education by sharing art history and my creative process with our community. When I’m at home, you can usually find me hanging out with our three kitties or feeding a murder of crows in the backyard.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.nikkirakov.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikkirakovart/
- Other: www.rakovstudiogallery.com
