Nikki Rakov, is interested in the ancient Celtic idea of thin spaces, sacred areas in nature where the veil between the world of the seen and unseen reveals portals to other realms. Her paintings record experiences of reaching across time, to connect with the spirit of place, passing through portals, pushing into magical realms where messages from beyond appear as images that dance and whisper and merge with reality. She paints her visions seeking to capture a glimpse of mystical nature where time and space twist, overlap and pause to reveal a moment of pure magic. A resident of North Florida for over 40 years, Nikki works in acrylics, oils and mixed media creating bold and colorful images of nature.

Nikki received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Mercer University in Macon, Georgia and a Masters of Education from the University of North Florida and is currently pursuing her Masters of Fine Arts in painting at Savannah College of Art & Design. Her work is held in private collections including Regions Bank and local St Johns county offices. For over 24 years, Nikki has been teaching secondary Art locally and is currently in her 14th year at Creekside High School where she teaches all levels of Art and AP Art History.

Eric Rakov always enjoyed drawing and had a natural inclination towards visual arts at an early age. Art classes were always his favorite in school and early validation came in the form of a scholastic award in high school as well as AP credit. He attended Rochester Institute of Technology and earned a BFA in Graphic Design and an AA in Illustration. After graduation he got swept into the Internet frenzy of the late 90’s and joined a tech startup designing websites, which eventually led to a successful career in IT project management. In 2014, Eric met his wife Nikki (an art teacher and artist), the creative side of him was re-awakened.

Eric works in traditional media such as acrylics and oils, and recently more into collage using cut magazines primarily. He applies the media in what he calls a painterly-style, building colors in layers, creating dark shadows and bright highlights. Constructing a collage is “also kind of like working a jigsaw puzzle or building with legos, where there’s a lot of searching for the right piece”. For Eric, the most enjoyable part of the process is being in the thick of the work itself, fully transfixed and losing track of time while in the act of creating a piece. The most difficult part? Knowing when to stop.

Eric has been an active member of the St. Augustine Art Association and currently serves on the Board as VP. His day job is in IT at McKesson.