Interview
Rachael Glover
Rachael Glover is an abstract artist currently living in Birmingham, England. Rachael studied locally at Birmingham City University, where she graduated in textile design in 2013. After completing her degree, Rachael realized her real passion was painting.
Rachael believes there are enough boundaries and restrictions in everyday life, and has no desire to introduce this into her artwork. When she creates a piece, it is to completely escape from the everyday norm.
Rachael loves seeing the movement of shapes, and how shape and color can interact with one another. Interaction is key for an art piece, and she enjoys the simplicity of the creative process. She strongly believes creating art shouldn’t be hard work.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“After attempting A-levels for about 3 weeks, I discovered that the academic route was definitely not for me! I decided to study BTEC Art & Design, after which I completed my BA Honors degree in textile design, specializing in retail management.
I didn’t really gain much from my degree to help me with my art practice . I feel that in education and society, you’re almost steered into asking, ‘What is the point of pursuing art as a career?’ I feel like this stopped me from moving forward with my passion, and it had to just stay as a hobby.
My art journey started after finishing my degree. My time at university was great for so many reasons, but I felt like I didn’t build any confidence in my work until I left. This is understandable, as the university professors have to critique you and score your work using a marking system. Artists in reality like to work without boundaries and having to tick certain boxes. So I really reconnected with my passion for artwork a few years ago. One day I had an urge to do something more relaxed, more abstract. I’ve just kept going with my style since then, not worrying about what the outcome will be.”
“I simply want to express the random side of my personality in my work; a side which I would never be able to effectively express in my everyday life.”
What inspires you?
“I’m inspired by arbitrary things. It can be the most random item, photo or thought. Even colors and thoughts inspire me. I don’t try to find an explanation as to why I find certain objects interesting. I think art is a great way of expressing things which you wouldn’t be able to express in any other aspects of life. My family and husband are very supportive of my passion and have always encouraged and inspired me to continue, even when I sometimes feel uninspired or unmotivated.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“In my work, I can honestly say there’s no underlying message I intentionally put in there. I like to leave the interpretation to the viewer. The title of each work gives the viewer the indication on what the theme or idea behind the piece was. But I’m more than happy for the viewer to look at my work and think, ‘That doesn’t look anything like the title.’ I think that’s great. I believe art shouldn’t be so rigid and restricted. I believe you should let the viewer think what they want to think, and let the viewer see what they want to see. It’s interesting, especially with my work, what themes people see.”
How would you describe your work?
“My work is intuitive because I don’t plan my work too much. I want it be a bit of a surprise, and I want to be intrigued with where a piece is going while I’m creating it. I think that makes it exciting and prevents a piece from becoming a chore to finish.
I don’t really believe that you make mistakes in abstract art. Whatever I do on a piece is expression, regardless of whether it was intentional or not. I work with my expression and do what I feel needs to be done. I don’t stop myself as I’m thinking of a certain color palette or theme. I feel that if it changes, but feels right, just go with your instinct. Not every piece has to feel like your favorite piece or reflect your best work. With every piece I do, it reflects something which may be happening in my home life, work life, mental health or my general mood. So I don’t need to purposely assign feelings and messages. I look at my work and see that.”
Which artists influence you most?
“I am inspired by several artists. It ranges from still life pieces I see on Instagram, to well-established artists such as Kev Munday - I love his work. His pieces are so colorful. They evoke happiness and feel so natural. I just admire the randomness of his work, and that’s what I try to bring to my own work. I also admire Frank Stella’s work. I like the way the colors and shapes interact with each other in each piece, which is a key element in my own work.”
What is your creative process like?
“My creative process starts with finding something which interests me. I draw freehand a lot, and even without looking. I love seeing what’s produced when you’re not intentionally making marks and planning your layout or composition. I find it so interesting and freeing when you aren’t too concerned with what the outcome will be. Many of these drawings are done with just a pen or colored crayons. I like working with pen as it’s permanent, and there’s no reversing the result.
Then I look for interactions which interest me. I feel that the word ‘interactions’ is a big part of my work. I use oil paint for my work, which I’ve always preferred using over acrylic. There’s a sophistication in using oil paints, and I find them better when it comes to mixing my colors. I generally feel that with the way I work, oil paints are a better fit for me, but I am very open to testing out acrylics one day. I use canvas board as they are easier to store and don’t take up too much room, but may also use different sized canvas if the piece calls for it.”
What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?
“Art is seriously underestimated; how important it is and how much joy, relief and intrigue it brings. Art is such a great tool for general well-being, portraying emotion and feelings. It’s a great comfort and distraction from everyday life.
The artist’s role is to give the viewer the opportunity to think and have an opinion. I feel that in today’s society, we’re almost taught not to think, and not to have opinions. It’s virtually dictated how you should feel and what you should see, instead of having faith in the viewer that they can make up their own mind and feel whatever they want to feel. I think the overall motivation for artists will change, as the need to escape the political and sociological agendas is huge. People need that escape from the belief that art is just a medium to translate a message. People need to be re-introduced to looking at beautiful, interesting and intriguing artworks that make you want to ask questions about the process, not just the message.”
Website: www.rachaelgloverart.squarespace.com
Instagram: @rachael_eglover
