Rachel Aloycius
Founder & Director of Creative Corner
Art Commissioner of San Mateo County
Rachel Aloycius is a Narrative Expressionist, Design Thinking educator, and entrepreneur whose work centers on emotion, storytelling, and the shared human experience. Inspired by people and the natural world, she uses color, texture, and movement to capture moments that feel honest, immediate, and connected.
As the founder of Creative Corner, she has spent more than 20 years building accessible arts education programs for children, teens, and adults across the Bay Area. Her workshops welcome learners of all backgrounds and abilities, encouraging creativity as a tool for expression, reflection, and healing. She mentors college students through hands-on internships, serves on a leadership council within the community college system, and collaborates with schools, libraries, and nonprofits to expand community access to the arts.
Her academic background includes an MBA, M.com & M.Phil., supported by certifications in Technology, digital marketing, e-commerce, and Design Thinking. Early experience in her family’s business sparked her interest in design and entrepreneurship. She began teaching art in the Burlingame School District in 2006 as a PTA volunteer and later formalized her work as Creative Corner LLC in 2012. Studies in Early Childhood Education strengthened her understanding of child development and shaped the curriculum she designed for young learners, including those with diverse learning needs.
As both an artist and program director, she has exhibited her work in galleries and created opportunities for students to showcase their own. Through thoughtful leadership, creative problem-solving, and deep community engagement, she continues to build spaces where people feel supported, inspired, and empowered to express themselves.
As an Arts Commissioner, she actively works to elevate the voices of underrepresented artists, advocate for expanded funding, and broaden community access to public art programs. She contributes to strategic planning that supports the county’s cultural vitality and collaborates closely with fellow commissioners to strengthen arts engagement across the community.