Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Parsons.
Rachel, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I have been drawing and creating since I was five years old. I was established as “The Artist” through put my years in public school. As a child, I was always watching and being inspired by cartoons. It quickly made me interested in animation. When I was eight years old, I was diagnosed with mild Tourettes Syndrome. Although my disorder was mild, it still phased a lot of physical and emotional struggles. My art has helped me overcome a lot of this by channeling all my frustrations through creating. In retrospect, I believe that my disorder has benefited me in a lot of ways and has made me the artist that I am today. When I became an adolescent I started dabbling in other art styles such as realism, cubism, pop art, etc. At the age of 16, I became more serious about becoming an animator and graphic artist. So, I started applying for colleges that offered animation and graphic arts. I went Chattahoochee Technical College and earned my degree in Design and Media Production and I’m currently finishing up my Bachelor’s in Digital Animation at Kennesaw State University. Outside of school, I have worked on short films, business logo’s, and commercials. I continue to challenge myself and perfect my skills. Since I’m an extrovert, I’m always looking to get involved with film production and animation projects. I absolutely love working with other talented people! Other than being a graphic artist and animator. I also model and I sing, play keys, and write music for a heavy metal band called Trina Dea (Facebook.com/TrinaDeaBand).
Has it been a smooth road?
Having Tourettes Syndrome has caused me a lot of emotional and physical struggles throughout my life. In elementary school, I was bullied and picked on and had difficulty fitting in. Due to my Tourettes, I also suffered from anxiety and depression. When I became a teenager my tics started to subside but would wax and wane. I would go through periods of having my tics go into remission and then one day start having motor tics or vocal tics. My depression and anxiety still caused me a lot of grief throughout my adolescent years. When I was 12, my family and I moved from our suburban neighborhood in Birmingham, Alabama to a very small quaint and country town near Dalton, Georgia. I was completely miserable here. Even though my Tourettes subsided and I was able to blend in with the rest of the crowd, I was unable to really identify with others. I was an artist who had aspirations and big dreams of moving to the city and becoming an animator, but a lot of my peers lacked that. Because of this, my depression worsened and I felt more and more alone and detached. I wanted to escape my exile so terribly. Fortunately, I was able to console myself through creating and dreaming. Looking back, I felt like I became more and more introspective and I was constantly living inside my mind. I became more miserable towards the end of high school and I was almost tempted to drop out, but my mother encouraged me not to do so. When I finally graduated from high school, I immediately left the small quaint town in the dust. I moved to Marietta where I was finally free and happy to live my own life. I’ve worked hard and continue to work hard today. My struggles and hardships have made me the artist I am.
What’s your outlook for the industry over the next 5-10 years?
I definitely see my industry growing. There are a lot of movies being filmed here and post houses opening up. This makes me very optimistic, because of all the great opportunities it will bring. It’s a very exciting time to be living as a young, professional Digital Artist in Atlanta and I am very thankful to be apart of it!
What would you say has been the biggest challenge for you over the course of your career?
I think my biggest challenge has been putting myself out there. Even though Atlanta’s film industry is still growing, you’re still up against a lot of competition. So, it’s a lot of work constantly volunteering as extras for films and interning for studios. You definitely have to prove that you are diligent and professional at what you do.
Let’s change gears – is there any advice you’d like to give?
Always find the time to do what you love doing and try to incorporate those passions and skills into your career. You may not always acquire the occupation that you set out to achieve, but if you keep an open mind and an open heart, you’ll definitely find a career that you love. You should also be willing to try new things. This will help you grow as artist and a person. Furthermore, always have a plan for your goals and try to stick to it. Unfortunately, life will constantly throw obstacles in your path, but if you remain ambitious and stay the course, you will succeed in your future endeavors. Finally, network and make new friends as much as possible in your field! This will definitely help you get your name out there. You might end up collaborating with someone who has good connections within the film industry.
Contact Info:
- Website: Facebook.com/Bronzemoonstudios
- Phone: 770-905-4549
- Email: Rparsons2114@gmail.com
