Seven hand-carved relief prints that translate sound into color,
one for each note of an ascending scale.
Soundwave Series One
Soundwave Series One is a set of seven relief prints exploring the relationship between sound and color. Each piece studies a single sound frequency, taking its form from the soundwave patterns first mapped by the physicist Ernst Chladni in the late 18th century.
The colors follow a system that assigns a hue to each note of the Western musical scale, so the series climbs from Red at G to Violet at F — the visible spectrum laid across an octave. Through offset carved lines and layered color, a scientific observation becomes something you can see: patterns and connections normally hidden from us.
As the notes climb the staff, their soundwave draws tighter with the rising pitch — red at G up to violet at F.
About the Artist
Rachel Kangas is a contemporary printmaker and architect based in New Jersey. Working primarily with relief prints on paper and sculpture, she creates abstract compositions that explore natural phenomena through vivid color, dynamic geometry, and layered visual narratives.
Her practice is rooted in a fascination with scientific discovery and a deep reverence for nature. Through abstraction, pattern, and movement, she investigates the interconnected systems that shape the world around us, translating observations of natural processes into expressive visual form. Whether in printmaking or sculpture, her aim is work that invites contemplation of the relationship between science, nature, and human perception.
Education
- Rhode Island School of Design — Bachelor of Fine Arts
- Rhode Island School of Design — Bachelor of Architecture
Selected Group Exhibitions
- 10th Biennial FOOTPRINT International Exhibition, Center for Contemporary Printmaking, Norwalk, CT, USA — 2026
- Peggy Doole National Small Works Competition & Exhibition, Washington Printmakers Gallery, Washington, DC, USA — 2026
Practice
- Architecture — Rhode Island · Massachusetts · New York · New Jersey
Get in touch
For inquiries about available work, exhibitions, or commissions.