Today we meet Seattle based artist, Rachelle Kearns. While I often discover artists through their exhibitions in Charlotte area galleries, there’s a little known fact that I also love finding inspiring artists through social media.
Kearns whose work has been exhibited across North America has worked on commissioned pieces for well known companies such as Tiffany & Co and Disney. What drew me to her work, which balances the styles of abstract and expressionism, was how her paintings seem to radiate light. Little circles become little shimmers and sparkles of light that seem to dance across the canvas.
In todays spotlight, the artist shares in her own words when she first discovered her love of art, how she discovered her signature style, fellow artists who inspire her and more.
When did you first discover your love of the artistic world?
I think I was maybe 5 or 6 when I witnessed my Opa (grandfather) paint with watercolors. He had a large studio desk that was quite high and I remember being mesmerized watching him paint and swirl color around the paper. I would sit for hours and color with just plain paper and pencil crayons. My Mom saved a drawing from when I was 3 years old where I had seen a helicopter for the first time and immediately came home to draw it. You can tell just by the drawing and the overlapping swirling blades that I was fascinated with capturing the movement.
You received your BA at the University of Toronto with a specialist in Fine Arts and Art History. What was the most important thing you learned during your time at University?
One of the things that I really enjoyed about our program, was that the practicum courses for fine art were taught by practicing artists. The class size was relatively small, so students would regularly engage with the teachers and receive feedback. We were required to take a variety of art classes; drawing, painting, 3D materials, printmaking, etc. By second year I knew that I wanted to specialize in painting and printmaking. I knew that I loved painting beautiful things. I knew that I loved color and wanted to paint things that felt ephemeral. Although I did very well and even received a couple of awards, one of the most important lessons I faced was learning that I was at odds with the art world. I was repeatedly told that ‘beauty’, in and of itself, was not something to be pursued. I was encouraged to have some sort of hook; whether it be functional or political. I graduated feeling very disheartened and somewhat disillusioned about how to continue. I wondered if I was meant to be an artist.
Your work features circles created by hand that create layers of light that move across the canvas. At what point during your career as an artist did you discover your signature style?
In 2004 I was given an incredible opportunity that opened the doors for me to pursue painting full-time. I graduated in 1999 and promptly ended up in foodservice sales, because that’s what graduating fine art students do, right? LOL. One of the companies that I had developed a relationship with knew that I loved to paint and asked me to put together a bid to renovate 2 of their locations with a series of murals. Even though I was up against a couple of other art firms, I won the bid. Practically speaking, winning this bid afforded me financial security for 2 years. The murals took me 4 months to complete, so I had a runway of a little over 1.5 years to try and make a go of it. I knew that I had to try. I quit my sales job, completed the murals, and began to paint full-time! I treated painting like a job. I painted for 8 hours a day, 4 days a week and spent Fridays filling out applications and submissions for whatever I could find and also visited local galleries. It took me 2 full years of painting full-time, with zero success to discover my signature style. When I started out, I was painting high realism! I had always loved abstract art, but didn’t think that I had earned the right to go there. But I’ll never forget taking the first 3 ‘mercyscape’ paintings to a show and having all 3 sell. The intrigue and interest that I received was life changing. Within a few months I went from zero success to being represented by a handful of galleries. It was incredible.
You currently reside in Seattle, WA, how does the city around you inspire your work?
I absolutely love Seattle. Surrounded by lakes and ocean, we’re minutes from a body of water. The colors are incredible as well. I’ll never forget our first March in 2019. I call it ‘Dr. Seuss’ land! When spring hits, saturated pops of color are everywhere. The flowers in Seattle were the inspiration for the ‘bloom’ series.
How does a typical day in the studio begin?
A typical day in the studio begins after dropping the kids off at school. We’ve transformed our 3-car garage into my studio space. It’s a beautiful space. I usually paint while the kids are at school. I’ll paint for about 4 hours a day. I have a ritual of praying before I paint. Using the verse from Psalm 90:17 I ask God to ‘establish the work of my hands’. Praying before I work centers my mind and thoughts and gives me focus.
Tell me about the piece you’re working on right now…
The piece I just finished working on is a new ‘bloom’ painting created for a collector in Toronto. I’ve been enamored with purples lately and had envisioned this big purple bloom. The layers of dark, sagey greens against the purples is quite lovely. I’m very happy with it.
Light | Hanging onto Hope
Is there a particular painting that has stood out to you as a personal favorite?
Yes. I have a few favorites. If I had to pick one, I’d pick a painting from my ‘light’ series that I painted in 2010. The name of it is ‘hanging onto hope’. This particular chandelier was quite challenging. It wasn’t working. I was very frustrated with the layers of color. It just wasn’t popping. It felt flat. In a ditch effort to try and save it, I remember practically throwing a layer of red glaze over it thinking, ‘well, I’ll know I tried everything!’ and sure enough, it totally came alive. The red added a depth and warmth and the yellows turned into this beautiful orange that just completely popped against the surrounding blue. It felt magical. That painting taught me so much about the importance of ‘play’ and the necessity of taking risks.
You’ve been commissioned by well known companies such as Tiffany & Co and Disney. What was it like working with such well known brands?
Working with the large brands that I’ve worked with has taught me so much. I’ve loved it. My experience in sales was a huge help. Taking the time to listen to and understand the needs of the brand is not something that all artists can or want to do.
Who are some of your fellow artists who inspire you?
I remember going to a show downtown Toronto in the late 90’s and seeing the work of Cathy Daley up close. Her work is innately feminine and visceral; she uses charcoal on vellum and it’s just gorgeous! The way she captures movement, uses black… I’m a big fan. I also love the work of Vicki Smith, another Toronto based artist. Her ‘swimmer’ series is incredible. The light, the water, the abstract reflections… there’s so much to take in. Anda Kubis is another Canadian artist that I adore. Her saturated pops of color are simply beautiful.
What are your words of advice for young artists who are just starting out?
For artists starting out, I highly recommend developing a strong discipline of practice. Set studio hours and stick to them, even when you don’t feel like it. Create, create, create. It takes time for ideas to emerge and for styles to be formed. I would also recommend submitting your work to local art fairs. Local art fairs are a great place to get feedback and understand how the public responds to your work.
www.rachellekearns.com
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