Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Newell.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Rachel. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I am a mixed media collage artist with a passion for reusing other people’s unwanted materials. I have been creating collage art since my mom taught me how to cut and glue at a very young age. I knew that I always wanted to be an artist but I abandoned the idea sometime in high school, when it seemed impractical and unobtainable. I went to Illinois State University for a year as an English major but was unsure of wanting to continue on that path. I came home and went to community college where I took some art classes. When I finally had the opportunity to create a collage piece for an assignment, I was so excited. But after a brutal critique, I stopped creating for years.
As many artists know, the compulsion to create never leaves. One day, I stumbled upon some old aluminum shutters at a thrift store. I decided to use them as repurposed canvases. So, I went home and began to create again. But only because I finally wanted to make something simple for the love of the process and see what would unfold. When I look back, it was that first transformed shutter that truly kick-started my journey of becoming an artist. At the time, my boyfriend and I lived with roommates and were in our mid 20’s. We had a constant flow of friends who would come over. I received encouragement from my friends to pursue my passion. One of my closest friends asked me to create a large set of shutters for her wedding. It was and still is one of the largest pieces that I have ever made. At her wedding, I received great feedback and it was the moment where I finally thought, maybe this is my calling.
Shortly after that, I began to contact local galleries and venues in the Peoria area about shows. I was scared of failure and rejection but knew there was no harm in trying. I booked my first show with another artist at an amazing venue called The Art Garage back in 2015. Since then, I have had the opportunity to have multiple solo shows, be a part of an international all women’s art show, have had my artwork blown up and featured in multiple art parks, and to have been a live artist at Summer Camp Music Festival and also, at 8 to Create, a live art event, at U of I in Champaign, Illinois.
I am proud to say that I am a business owner, of Rae’s Space, my little art business. I currently sell my creations at three shops. I sell small magnets at Urban Artifacts and I sell homemade collage bookmarks and prints of my work at Relics. Both of these shops are located in Peoria, Illinois. I also have work available at the collective in Mount Prospect, Illinois, which is a really cool art co-op that I have had the opportunity to be a part of.
Most recently, I have gotten into the circuit of selling my collage creations at art festivals. My art business is run by myself and my amazing boyfriend Rex. We have been together for 10 years now and he has been by my side every step of the way. I wouldn’t be able to do what I do today without his help. We are on year two of the art festival journey and I truly feel blessed to be able to do what I am passionate about with the person I love most in this world.
Has it been a smooth road?
As an artist, one of the biggest struggles has always been money. It takes time to figure out what works for you and also how to create a constant source of revenue. I have always had a second job to help pay the bills, which has usually been a job in the food industry. Being a waitress or a bartender has always helped me pay the bills. These jobs have flexible schedules which is what allowed me to have more time to create. I am very happy to say that I have finally entered a time in my life, where art is my full-time job and waiting tables is my part-time job. It took years to obtain this goal but it is exciting to enter a time in my life where I have so much time to create.
Another struggle along the way, in my art career and in many other women’s careers, is sexism. I work as a partnership with my boyfriend, and I can’t tell you how many times people approach him asking if he is the artist. I guess in a lot of people’s minds, it makes more sense for a man to be the artist than a woman. And sometimes, people seem to be genuinely surprised to find out that I am the artist. Unfortunately, that is a struggle many women face. And all we can do is to keep moving forward and hope for a more open-minded outlook in the future, where people aren’t so surprised to see women succeeding in their careers.
Every women’s journey has bumps along the way. It is easy to get discouraged and to give up. I know that for a fact. But the older you get, the more you realize that the only opinion that should matter to you is your own. Once you stop caring about what other people think, you are free to achieve anything you can dream. The only thing that is stopping you is you.
We’d love to hear more about Rae’s Space.
I specialize in creating with people’s unwanted materials. I have always loved thrifting and going to a garage and estate sales. It is something my mom taught me to love at an early age. One person’s trash truly is another person’s treasure. I love finding unusual objects to collage onto. When I was in middle school and high school, I collaged onto tables, chairs, and doors. Really anything that I could find. Some of my most favorite pieces have been on repurposed canvases, like shutters, vents, and even large fan blades. As a collage artist, I am always searching for unusual paper materials to use, from old magazines and books. Since I have been doing this for years now, magazines seem to find me. I live in a small town outside of Peoria, Illinois and many people know that I will take their old magazines. I come home to bags and boxes of magazines on our doorstep. I try to utilize everything that I can from them. Anything that I can’t use, is then donated or recycled. I am grateful for the support of my friends and neighbors and love transforming their unwanted materials into unusual pieces of art.
As an artist, I have always loved surrealism. I was greatly influenced by Dali as a child. Since then, I try to create unique, dreamlike pieces of collage art. I am proud of where I am today as an artist. I feel I have developed my own style of collage, which to me, is about blending hundreds of clippings into one uniform piece. My style is focused on the content of the material I choose to use and how they make me feel. It is also about color and trying to create movement while also being balanced. And the best part is that my work has become recognizable to some people. It really makes me happy when someone comes up to me at a festival and tells me where they have seen my work before.
What’s the most important piece of advice you could give to a young woman just starting her career?
To reiterate, I would say, don’t give up on your dreams or take another person’s opinions to heart. Your opinion is the only opinion that matters. Be true to yourself. Life is very short and all we have is time. The best way to spend your time is doing something you love and truly believe in. Use your time in life to figure out what drives you and what you are passionate about. If you are able to work your passions, into a career, then it is true that you will never work a day in your life.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.raesspacestudio.com
- Email: emailofrae@gmail.com
- Instagram: @raes.space
Image Credit:
8 to Create
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