Rafael McKenzie Soares has been painting since the age of fifteen. He began taking lessons with a Dutch artist who introduced him to the academic drawing techniques of the old Masters, thereby helping to creating a solid artistic foundation. Among the national and international shows to his credit, Soares has participated in the prestigious 10th International Exhibition of Botanical Art & Illustration at The Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation in Pittsburgh and The Waterhouse Art Competition at the Museum of South Australia. Soares' work is included in the Albright Knox Museum collection and in the corporate collection of Fidelity Investments.