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As a St. Louis based printmaker, my work is deeply rooted in Midwest soil. In 2015, I earned my art degree from Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville, IL. With no access to a formal studio space after graduation, a small closet in my apartment was converted into my own personal print shop. Years later, having moved from my small closet to a spare bedroom, I began working with cyanotypes (also known as solar printing). 

I count myself extremely fortunate to have studied under a number of accomplished artists and have visited some of the world's best museums and landmarks, but the biggest influence in my work, by far, has been motherhood. 

When my son was born, my life shifted in every conceivable way. My minutes were no longer my minutes and my space was no longer my space. Everything became calculated and determined by his schedule. How I viewed life changed - how I viewed death changed - what I wanted to put out into the world changed. 

My fears and anxieties became twofold. I developed a compulsion to document every moment of our life and holdfast to memories as a way to comfort myself as my son grows older. This phenomenon became the basis for my current series, Memry. 

In addition to exploring the process of encapsulating good moments, purging the bad ones, and preserving memory. It raises questions about the authenticity of my memories and the ways I've cropped into life as a way to curate my mind's eye.

I've chosen photography and journal writing as an entry point into this work. Photography is commonly used to remember the good things in life like celebrations and beautiful sunsets. In mirrored contrast, journal writing is a way to navigate through the difficult challenges I wish to move past or keep private. A commonality between these two mediums is that they are both inherently grounded in my truth, but by overlapping them and taking out much of their contexts, they become nearly unrecognizable and can be anyone's truth. This visual obstruction also allows me to work towards the balance of sharing myself publicly while remaining guarded.

I used the cyanotype process for this collection because it is deeply reliant on elements like time and space - reflective of the way I have specific relationship with time and space as a mother.

Rachel resides in St. Louis with her husband, James, and their quesadilla-loving son, Wolf.

Art Workshops? I'm In!

I've had the pleasure of facilitating art workshops and classes for a number of local museums and organizations. I would love to work with your group - let's chat! 

Organizations I've worked with include Laumeier Sculpture Park, The Foundry Art Center, Central Print, Craft Alliance, and the Meyer Kranzberg Learning Center.