Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Owens.
Hi Rachel, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I have been creating ever since I can remember. My earliest memories involve some sort of artistic endeavor – reading, writing, drawing, painting, sculpting, crafting, sewing – you name it! As a military child, I had the unique honor of growing up all over the world, which exposed me to a plethora of intriguing sources of inspiration. This exposure to diverse cultures and experiences sparked my fascination with people, storytelling, and the way art and books could beautifully connect these elements – while also enabling me to discover the true meaning behind why I wanted to create art: to encourage people; to bring smiles to faces and joy to hearts; to brighten someone’s day with warmth and wonder.
From a very early age, I found immense happiness in learning new things, creating from both my imagination and from the world around me, and helping people in any way that I could. I can vividly recall spending hours flipping through children’s books, being transported by the vibrant pages and whimsical themes therein. Through this, I was inspired to create my own stories, both written and visual, with a constant drive to learn and grow.
Besides a brief (but influential) interaction with six months of art classes as a teenager, I was self-taught until my first encounter with art in an academic arena at SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design). SCAD proved to be a pivotal step that opened up a whole new world of artistic possibilities and helped me understand how I could turn my love for art and people into a career. Under the guidance of my professors, who are themselves incredibly accomplished artists, I delved into new practices that have significantly shaped my approach to art, helped me discover my aesthetic voice, and realized my purpose through the application of my work. It is incredible to look back at my growth even just from freshman year to senior year – how far I’ve come and what I have accomplished in that short time. To think I was once just a little girl with big dreams, and now I am a magazine-published illustrator! It honestly gives me goosebumps – haha!
I like to think that the inspiration to be an illustrator has forever been ingrained in my very DNA. As a Christian, I believe the Lord imbued me with the passion, drive, and enthusiasm for art that He did as His design for my life so I could utilize art to help people and spread love and joy! Consequently, my path toward becoming an illustrator was not necessarily sparked by a single extraordinary moment but rather an innate desire to help, captivate, and transport people to different worlds by evoking positive emotions and encouraging connections.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Every journey worth embarking upon carries with it its own set of challenges – after all, where would the adventure be if the road were always smooth? The twists and turns, the rises and falls – these are the elements that infuse our stories with interest, uniqueness, and humanity.
Among the hurdles I’ve encountered, one of the most profound struggles has been rooted in my health. As someone living with chronic disabilities, life has demanded of me a distinct perspective that at times cast shadows on my ability to follow my artistic calling – for instance, when I had to defer college and put my art on hold while I was in and out of the emergency room. Yet, through perseverance, I’ve learned to not only manage my health challenges but to also integrate them into my artistic narrative. While I can’t say that it is now a “walk in the park” – haha – this shift in mindset has transformed what could have been a debilitating impediment into a source of determination and even encouragement. However, I cannot claim this transformation as solely my own because the strength to overcome has come from my relationship with God, the unwavering support of my family, and the encouragement of my friends and fellow creatives.
As any creative knows, the artistic odyssey, while rewarding, is peppered with its fair share of stumbling blocks. At the forefront of my struggles was the task of taming my own perfectionism and confronting the fear of failure. Striving for excellence is a core principle of mine, but this pursuit sometimes veered into self-doubt and hesitancy. Fear of exposing my work’s imperfections often held me back from showcasing my creativity openly, causing my authentic self-expression to be hindered. The blank page sometimes overwhelmed me – and the idea that everything I create has to be “my next masterpiece”, or my “Mona Lisa”, so to speak, terrified me and halted my creative flow. Furthermore, the competitive realm of the creative industry posed its own set of challenges. I wrestled with doubts about the distinctiveness of my work amidst a bustling field of amazing artists. The pressure to conform to trends and meet perceived expectations while also “standing out” was stifling, leading me to undertake the quest of discovering my own genuine artistic voice and asking if I had what it takes to be successful.
In the midst of these challenges, the bedrock of family, friends, and mentors has fortified me. Their unwavering support, along with my commitment to personal growth, has provided the compass to navigate these complexities. I’ve found that embracing imperfections and showcasing my work authentically is vital, and there is only futility in comparing myself to others. Your distinct perspective is your greatest strength; therefore, if you stay true to yourself, then you can know that you are on the right path — and any obstacles that stand in your way are meant to be morphed into catalysts for resilience and adaptability, fanning the flames of your passion instead of fizzling them out.
Hurdles are meant to be transformed into stepping stones, building resilience, sculpting character, and propelling towards new heights of creativity and self-discovery. I love to remind myself that each failure is a step towards success, and if I embrace my failures, I am all the closer to my next success! To look back and see that you overcame that blank page or that little mistake can go a long way in providing the courage to boldly step forward and embrace the unknown of the next challenge.
Above all, I feel enormously grateful to the Lord for blessing me with a family that supports me and with friends and fellow creatives who inspire, uplift, and encourage me.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a mixed media illustrator and graphic designer specializing in publication design with a passion for editorial, educational, and children-focused content! As such, my main aim is to bring ideas to life in any way possible – but mainly through vivid colors and whimsical themes. My work is a fusion of various artistic techniques and mediums, ranging from ink, colored pencils, acrylic, and gouache paint (and MANY MORE materials) to digital tools – all lovingly orchestrated to create vibrant and captivating illustrations.
I like to describe my work as a stylized realism – blending realistic aspects with surrealistic colors, motifs, and expressions, blurring the lines between our world and the world of the imagination. I use any and every material that I can get my hands on to illustrate my pieces – choosing whatever medium will best tell the story I am determined to communicate. Color and texture play enormous roles in my work. I live in the heavily saturated and tactile world of my imagination and try to translate it onto the page and into the eyes and minds of people who experience my work. I want my work to be interactive: for people to explore my pieces and discover what it represent for themselves, but ultimately always finding joy and happiness through their exploration.
If it is not already evident, I love telling stories! Whether through written words or visual details, stories are a part of life, and I grew up with a love for learning, reading, and digesting visually interesting content that even continues to inspire the work I create today.
Among my proudest accomplishments is my ability to evoke positive emotions and spread joy through my art. I take immense happiness in knowing that my work has the potential to bring smiles to people’s faces, brighten their days, and spark their imaginations. This sense of purpose fuels my passion and serves as a driving force in my artistic journey. My specialization in children’s content is particularly close to my heart. I draw inspiration from the enchanting worlds that children’s literature opens, and I’m dedicated to contributing my illustrations to this magical realm. There is a unique excitement in knowing that my work might be a child’s first encounter with art, sparking their creativity and sense of wonder and encouraging their interest in learning.
Through the unity of my diverse influences, I strive to create an aesthetic voice that sparks an emotional connection, shares a positive perspective on the world, and inspires others to find beauty in the seemingly ordinary. Truly my illustrations are an extension of who I am, crafted to uplift, engage, and ignite a sense of joy in those who experience them!
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Looking ahead, I have ambitious goals, one of which involves using my art to positively impact children and families coping with disabilities. Drawing from my own experiences with disabilities, I aim to create illustrations that educate, empower, and encourage the understanding of disabilities!
In essence, my story is one of constant exploration, growth, and a deep-rooted desire to bring joy to others through my art. The road hasn’t always been easy, but every challenge and triumph has led me to where I am today – a mixed-media illustrator and graphic designer passionate about creating vibrant, whimsical worlds that inspire and uplift — reflecting on all of this makes me abundantly happy and feel overwhelmingly blessed to do what I do 🙂 Thank you for reading my story 🙂
BONUS: my work has been chosen to represent Forsyth Park Farmers’ Market – so if you are in the Savannah Forsyth Park area on Saturdays between 9 am and 1 pm, stop on by and pick up a t-shirt with my work on it! 🙂 Be sure to reach out and show me if you do – @smiley.rachelle or rachelnowens98@gmail.com – I’d love to see it!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.rachelnowens.art/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smiley.rachelle/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-owens-21aa69213/
- Other: https://linktr.ee/smiley.rachelle
Image Credits
Caroline Edge (Personal Photo) Rachel Owens (All Additional Images)
