Rachel Ingrid Robbins is a Maine-based visual artist, educator, and certified somatic art therapy practitioner. Operating under her studio banner, Right As Rain Eclectic, her multi-disciplinary career represents a thoughtful evolution from narrative storytelling to sensory, visual art forms. As a former HarperCollins author, she now channelizes complex human emotions, psychological archetypes, and ancestral narratives into layered physical media. Her studio practice is deeply rooted in the natural topography of the New England coast, using the landscape as a framework for exploring themes of identity, resilience, and creative reclamation.
Artistic Mediums & Process
Robbins' workflow is defined by a strictly traditional, tactile approach that rejects digital manipulation in favor of raw material engagement. Her signature pieces utilize a complex layering technique involving:
- Pastels & Charcoals: Hand-massaged directly onto high-density multi-media papers and upcycled matboards.
- Fluid Media: Controlled pooling of vibrant alcohol inks, metallic oil highlights, and acrylic overlays.
- Dimensional Finishing: Accents of raw gold leafing and specialized spray mica to catch and distort shifting ambient light.
Her aesthetic style leans into Pop Surrealism and magical realism, frequently populated by mythic guardians, celestial entities, and biophilic forms designed to provoke internal reflection.
Therapeutic Practice & Education
As a certified therapeutic arts practitioner, Robbins designs and leads somatic "Drawing Down the Spirit" workshops. These interactive modules utilize physical, body-centered art-making processes (connecting gesture, raw touch, and movement) to bypass mental resistance, enter “flow state” unencumbered, and ultimately connecting with authentic self through exploring spiritual portraiture. Her instructional background is supported by a decade of formal teaching experience, including work as a college instructor.
Exhibition History & Collections
Robbins actively exhibits her work in juried gallery environments, cultural spaces, and regional public collections. Her notable regional presentations include:
- Solo Exhibitions: Late Bloomer retrospective at the Merrymeeting Arts Center and Come What May at the Whitefield Library and Community Center.
- Juried Group Shows: Recurring features at the Boothbay Region Art Foundation Gallery, the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Portland Public Library, and the Union of Maine Visual Artists (UMVA) Gallery.
- Permanent & Private Placement: Distributed throughout wellness centers, luxury retreats, and private collections across New England.
