Rachelle is crazy for all things art and creativity and get this, at just 23 she has made her passion into a job! Here she chats about what makes her tick and how she got to where she is.

1. Tell us about your job:

My Job! I’m a practicing artist- I work from a sweet little studio down the back end of Willeton, surrounded by mechanic workshops and a lot big grizzly guys. From there I run my own freelance business with artworks by request (“commission” is the fancy word for it!) and also any upcoming exhibitions I’m part of. I’ve also taught at UWA in the Visual Art courses taken by all kinds of students- from peeps studying pharmacy to anthropology- which makes for some pretty interesting classes!

2. What are your favourite styles and why?:

Oooh…I have many! At the moment, I’m lovin the work of Aussie artists Robin Eley and Joel Rea- these guys have some serious painting skillz in portraits and understanding colour. Maria Teicher does some freaky things with plastic and portraits too- which is inspiring a lot of my more recent works on paper. I’m fascinated with painting paper and plastics. I’m also loving anything typography or handlettering related- people like @blackliststudio and @thearticulate are big favs.

3. How old were you when you decided that you wanted to pursue art and what steps did you take to do that?:

I was in yr 7. We were making aprons- and mine was Picasso inspired (duh!). One of the popular girls looked across at me, looked down at my work, and then looked back up. “Rachelle, you should totally be an artist when you grow up”.

A few years later when I realised I could study art after high-school, I wanted to do EVERYTHING to make sure that happened. I failed a really important subject in yr 12 which meant that I didn’t have enough marks to get into the course I wanted- but that didn’t stop me trying. Because I worked hard at every subject- regardless of how much I sucked at it- I had a lot of support from my teachers and principle which helped me get into uni.

Since finishing highschool I’ve had so many incredible opportunities in and outside of uni, getting to study art at Institiute Seni Indonesia, visit my mentor in New York at the NYAA, and this year I was given a scholarship to a painting intensive run by Robin Eley in Adelaide- which was AH-mazing!

4. What is it about being creative and artistic that you love so much?:

I love that I can use painting and drawing to communicate with people. I’m not a great story teller, nor the most eloquent writer, but give me a pencil or a paintbrush and I can express to you a story of my exact thought and feelings.

I love that art and creativity brings me close to others so far away. Especially through social media outlets like facebook and instagram, I’m able to extend my artistic circle of friends because of this common interest and passion for anything art-related.

I love that being creative and artistic inspires other people. I believe, and will argue, that everyone is BOTH creative and artistic. Everyone. But the way you channel your creative and artistic side is different to the way I channel my creative and artistic side.

5. Who are some of your all time favourite artists?:

All time favourites!

· Maria Teicher - fascinating artworks that create great discussion on 21stC portraiture

· Pippa McManus – Perth based Fashion Illustrator for all the ladies

· David Kassan – the Michaelangelo of the 21stC

· Robin Eley – my Aussie art hero!

6. Top 5 Instagram accounts to follow?:

Big fan of promoting Perth Artists, so the people I’d look out for here are:

· Jarrad Seng – Photographer/ Film

· Love Thread – Fashion Blogger

· Andrew Frazer – Bunbury based Artist and Illustrator

· Sarsar – Perth based Illustrator

· Little Lofts – Perth/Singapore Photographer and Café Hunter

7. Any advice for those who want to pursue art?:

GO FOR IT. Don’t let anyone tell you it’ll be too tough to make it a career. If you have the spark, then fan that flame by getting a mentor and go after it wholeheartedly! Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there; email others who inspire you- ask the questions that buzz around in your brain! If you’ve got the desire to do it, work hard and persevere with it- you’ll always have set backs, but if you work hard and commit to what you love, the right doors will always open for you.

You're going to want to keep up to date with all things Rachelle, so here you go!:

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