Interview
Rachel Coltz
Rachel’s art begins at that point where she can no longer express herself in words.
Artistic exuberance guides her, collaboration nourishes her, while challenges make her grow. Rachel’s artistic passion led her to give up a stable, well-paid job in business to completely immerse herself in the beauty of creativity. She says it has turned out to be one of the best decision she has ever made!
As a visual artist, Rachel expresses herself through mixed media, mostly combined with a strong message to create a unique signature. Through this experience, she is aiming to find her place in the art world and reach a wider audience.
Rachel is very passionate about societal topics and they are always a source of inspiration to her. She’s never afraid to tackle a controversial topic and give her opinion. According to her, art has a duty to raise awareness on certain social matters. Whatever the medium, she uses symbolism to pass her message through, occasionally using a sentence to accompany her artworks as well.
Rachel’s creations are like her — curious about our society, our world, and a bit provocative.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“I’ve had a passion for art since I was a little girl. However, I couldn’t pursue it academically as my parents did not see it as an option. Instead, I went to France and the USA, where I studied business and specialized in marketing. I worked for 15 years as a project manager in different companies.
Then COVID happened in 2020. My husband spent 3 weeks in intensive care during the first wave and almost died. Fortunately, everything went okay, but it made me realize that our lives are very short and can be stopped at any moment. So at the beginning of 2021, I made a big decision and gave up my well-paid, comfy project manager job and launch my career as an artist. Since then, I have been working 15 hours a day to achieve my goals and chase my lifelong dream.”
What inspires you most?
“I am inspired in my approach by a voracious thirst for research, as well as my life experience. Experience provides me with images and emotions that come together in a colorful picture. The coloring process is very dear to my heart, as I feel like my work is coming to life.
I am in love with pop art and bright colors, but I also want to talk about serious topics in our society. So I’m inspired by everyday life, and what I hear among my friends and family; interrogations we have on a daily basis.”
“Artists possess the means to deal with issues that the rest of the society dares not to address, so they can provoke a reaction, a question, a doubt.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“I always try to tackle serious topics like religion, politics, social themes—basically, what we usually avoid talking about around the dinner table. I use very bright colors and a lighter style to make a contrast and get a unique signature. However, I want my work to start a conversation and to spark a reaction. I want to make paintings that speak louder than words. This is my goal. To show the unfair in a cute way; my art being at the heart of a conversation. I don't want it to be only aesthetic. Millions of painters can do that much better than I can.”
How would you describe your work?
“I would describe my work as provocative pop art—positive but imperfect. I think the imperfection is very important. The pursuit to reach perfection is very annoying to me as I think perfection is no longer interesting.”
Which artists influence you most?
“Urban artists like Justin Bua, JR and Obey Giant are very inspiring. But I also love Miguel Berrocal and Kehinde Wiley.”
What is your creative process like?
“Given my business background, I think I’m way more analytical than other artists. I do in depth internet research on the topic I want to address in my painting, taking many notes. Then I write down my ideas. I never sketch! As a last thing before beginning the painting itself, I organize my thoughts and prepare a rough draft of the painting on Illustrator. Once I have it and I’m happy with the composition, I start painting by layers. I paint only with acrylics. I like coloring my painting entirely by layers and not by zone, as I see being done very often on the internet.
I am always planning at least five projects at a time, and I plan everything accordingly. ”
What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?
“Because I love conceptual art and politics, I think art should get back to the center of the important themes of our modern society such as racism, discrimination and inequalities. I want artists to embrace activism more and show, in their own way, how they view our society; to leave a testimony for future generations. It’s really a personal choice, but I get no pleasure in painting flowers. I need my art to mean something.”
Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?
“I participated in a few exhibitions last year in Turin, getting two awards for the most original painting. I also participated in the Contemporary Art Talent Show in Parma in March.”
Website: www.rachelcoltz.com
Instagram: @rachelcoltzart
