Brief bio for members directory listing (optional)
Rachel Simmons is a queer artist and educator in Orlando, Florida, specializing in book arts and printmaking. A Rollins College faculty member since 2000, she founded and directs the Rollins Book Arts Collection, which supports student learning and research while fostering collaboration among emerging artists.
Driven by curiosity about creativity, astronomy, philosophy, and nature, Simmons explores unanswerable questions through her work. Her artist's books are held in prestigious collections including the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Newberry Library, and the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art. Through her socially engaged project Flock, she encourages communities to develop awareness of birds' importance through experimental and collaborative printmaking.
Community engagement anchors Simmons' practice. She champions artists' books through leadership in the Book Arts Guild of Central Florida, Orlando Zine Fest, and CBAA The Association for Book Art Education. Her curatorial work creates dialogue around book arts, including co-curating Critical Reading: Book Art in Dialogue with the Collection at the Rollins Museum of Art in 2024.
