Artist Statement

After working as an Interior Designer for twenty years, I can’t help but look at everything through the lense of design. My aesthetic is rooted in nature; informing all aspects of my home and studio life, from furnishings to lighting to landscape, and everything I own down to the pencils on my desk…and of course, how and what I choose to paint.

My paintings tend toward the gestural, sometimes leaning modern; other times more minimal or primitive in nature. I am drawn to simple forms, large hardware store brushes, paints and stains in neutral colors and a variety of sheens, plaster and sand. I like paintings with a time worn patina, nothing too precious.

I’ve always loved hand lettering, cartoons, and graffiti, so there is an element of that in my work too. When you stay neutral in tone, you can mix a lot of different styles and time periods in interiors and artwork. I really dig the juxtaposition of something classical with something edgy; something elegant and refined, mixed with something raw and primitive. That’s when things get interesting!

More and more, I am dedicated to using materials with the lowest environmental footprint (reclaimed substrates like wood, and unbleached canvas and linen hand stretched to my own canvases). The overall effect is better for the environment; and the process allows me to more fully create the pieces rather than beginning with something commercially fabricated without the touch of a human hand.

As all of my work seeks to reckon with the issues of impermanence and faith to one degree or another, it’s increasingly important to me that the form of my work follows its function. Specifically, I seek to create pieces with object integrity so they “walk the talk,” so to speak, and the materials physically resonate and reinforce the themes and subject matter present in the work.

Rachel lives and works in lovely north Florida. Email info@rachelbowden.com to schedule a studio visit.