Check out Rachel Gardner’s Artwork

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Gardner.

Rachel, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I have had a passion for as long as I can remember. I grew up as a highly competitive soccer player. Most of my early years and into young adulthood were devoted to my soccer career. When a serious injury brought my soccer days to an end, my focus shifted and I never looked back. I graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University with my BFA in Art Education with a focus in painting. I taught Elementary art for 2 years. I then went on to receive my MFA as a sculptor/painter in 2015 from Houston Baptist University where I am now an adjunct professor. I currently work with both undergraduate and graduate students teaching both lecture based and studio courses. When I am not teaching, I am working on my own art in my home-based studio.

We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
Growing up in suburbia, I longed for a deep connection to the wild. I watched my childhood “forest” become a manicured golf course surrounded by concrete homes. As I witnessed the natural world disappear, I felt the effects it not only had on me, but humanity as a whole. The confliction of disconnection to our natural world became my driving voice when I started making my work.

In my early work, I began creating through the wild animal in such a way that drew the viewer in with one yellow eye, begging to be noticed and reconnected within our fast-paced lives. Then came the white wolf sculptures. Wild creatures coated in a white plastic sheen, staring back at the viewer with their hollow eyes. Perhaps, the wolves are more of a reflection of what humanity has and will become the less time we spend in nature. Then, the carcass and raven sculptures accompanied the wolves, to represent the balance of the life cycle seen within our ecosystems. I most recently showed a body of work focusing on birds (sculptures coated in white and black) and large and small-scale charcoal drawings. With these creatures, I share scenes of life, death, and rebirth symbolically connecting our natural world to our human lives. After all, my work is less about the creature and more about the human soul.

What do you think it takes to be successful as an artist?
I think it is important to be true to yourself and your message as an artist. I believe it is essential to connect with people so they know why you make your art and they want to be a part of your journey.

Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
People can view my work on my website at www.rachelgardnerart.com. I also show with Houston based Cindy Lisica Gallery (www.cindylisicagallery.com) located at 4411 Montrose. I am currently working on 2 new bodies of work. One will be exhibited in a solo show at Redbud Gallery in September 2019. I welcome visits to my home-based studio in the Heights.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.rachelgardnerart.com
• Email: rachelgardnerart@gmail.com
• Instagram: @rgardner87

Image Credit:
Photos by James Klein Photography and Missy Hill Photography.

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