Best of Zion

Artists of Zion

Rachel Mangan

Watercolor & Rope Artist, Southern Utah

Rachel Mangan paints Zion's wildflowers and wildlife in watercolor, then gives retired climbing rope a second life as wall art shaped like the boots and buttes she hikes past all summer.

From Backpacking Trips to a Desert Studio

Rachel grew up backpacking with her family and went on to study environmental science and resource management, with a focus on wildlife conservation. She moved to Southern Utah in the mid-2010s and has spent her summers working seasonally inside Zion National Park ever since, painting through the winter months in between.

Her father was an artist too, and instilled her love of the outdoors before he died of cancer in 2017 - a loss she's said still runs through the work she makes today.

Watercolor Wildflowers and Retired Rope

Rachel works in two parallel mediums. Her watercolors focus on desert flora and fauna - globemallow, datura, and lupine among the wildflowers, California condors, bighorn sheep, and owls among the wildlife - rendered with a naturalist's eye for detail.

Alongside the paintings, she builds framed fiber art from decommissioned climbing rope, shaping it into desert motifs like cowboy boots, hats, and sunrise arcs. The rope comes from local climbing gyms, from her husband's guiding company, and through a public donation form for retired gear that would otherwise head to a landfill.

A Summer in the Park, a Winter in the Studio

Rachel currently splits her year between seasonal work inside Zion National Park each summer and painting through the winter, with an eye toward eventually making art her full-time work. That rhythm shows up directly in the paintings - several reference Zion landmarks by name.

"Being outside is one of my most favorite things," she told St. George News in a 2024 profile, describing art as "a really powerful way of re-experiencing something and remembering an event."

Where to Find Her Work

Rachel sells original watercolors and one-of-a-kind rope art alongside giclee prints, apparel, stickers, and cards through her own online shop and on Etsy. In person, her work is carried at Southern Utah retailers including Trudy's Spot in Hurricane.

In the Press