Growing up on the outskirts of Edinburgh, Scotland, young me found art to be an elusive pursuit, much like the heart of my city. However, my journey studying BA (Hons) Fine Art at Edinburgh College of Art from 2018 to 2022 brought both art and the city centre within my grasp.
I firmly believe that art and the creative process are intrinsic to the human experience—we all yearn to leave our mark. Anchored in my belief in the therapeutic power of art, I strive to embrace vulnerability in storytelling through my creations.
My encounters in the counselling chair have left a profound imprint on my artistic journey. This space of introspection allows me to unearth and honour fragments of myself (even those that I would rather not exist). By immortalising these fragments on canvas and paper, I engage in a ritual of acceptance and reverence, acknowledging their role in shaping my path.
My artistic practice now rests & manifests in introspection. The marks I make serve as an externalisation of the internal world; visual representations of thoughts, emotions, and the ineffable spaces that exist beyond & between categorisation.
Through Painting and Printmaking, my work is clemently figurative. My figures are experiences unearthed from somewhere that required empirical digging, and placed into their new physicality. I envision them closer to aspects of souls than bonafide.
I strive for the figures to be excused from the categorisation that can often cause divides in our communities. Their genders are not bound by strict definitions, although my own identity as a woman occasionally shines through. Likewise, the dynamics of their relationships remain enigmatic, inviting interpretation. Notions of community & the dynamics of all kinds of relationships are central themes. I explore how our variety of internal identities interact & impact one another
My creative process is always in collaboration with all the connections I've made, drawing inspiration from both past and present. It is through this collaboration with family, friends, counsellors, and fleeting encounters that my art finds its feet (sometimes literally).
I create because 1. It's fun. & 2. I hope that my art resonates with others and that our shared experiences, past, present, and future, foster reciprocity and understanding.
- thank you for visiting, love rach
