Rachael is a born and raised islander. Largely self-taught, she has an intuitive sense of composition and color. Rachael experimented with many different mediums including acrylics, water colors and pencil sketches before turning her focus to water soluble oil paints. Her paintings are a rich exploration of island land and seascapes that are crafted in an abstracted style reminiscent of Cubist landscapes. She paints in a tight hand, controlling the composition by reducing it into brightly colored shapes that become multiple planes of harmonious colors. Rachel says, “I choose the structure of the paintings by looking at my scene and seeing where the most dominant hues are.” Her colors are vibrant and bold. “I exaggerate the natural colors of the original landscape.” Her placement of color is intentional and conveys a sophisticated understanding of color theory.

     Rachael began her career selling her work at flea markets on Martha’sVineyard and showing her paintings in local markets. She has also done commission work for Sloan Kettering Department of Medicine, through the Octavia Art Gallery in New Orleans.

Artist’s statement:

     I have always used art as a form of therapy. My process on each painting starts with a photo that I take while outside on trails, beaches, fields, etc. Shortly after I gather my inspiration, I sketch my idea onto a blank canvas, followed by picking a color scheme that is usually quite vibrant. To me the colors bring joy and a sense of calm. My main hope is to create a piece that gives its viewers a happy energy.