Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachael Van Dyke.
Hi Rachael, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Growing up in a large Italian family where emotions and energy were high, I learned early on to create quickly, to work collaboratively, and to not become too attached to my work. With seven children to care for my mother and father would encourage my siblings and I to be active outdoors and creative indoors, requiring us to pick up anything we created at the end of each day. Knowing that my work would be gone by bedtime I was quick to design, problem-solve, create and build everything I dreamed of making. This energetic practice has carried into my professional studio practice. When I have an idea, I work very quickly. I am quite intentional about not critiquing myself during the process of creating. I step back from my work every so often to consider the composition, but while I am working, I trust my hand. I see many artists overthinking their work, they critique themselves too often and grow discouraged. They lose trust in their own personal and unique voice by comparing themselves to others. I used to struggle with this as a young artist. When I saw other artists spending hours on a painting, some over a year of returning to the same work, I thought I must not be committed enough, good enough, or really an artist at all. Instead of celebrating the energy of my mark making -the fast pace in which my body likes to move and the rapid way in which my mind thinks, I grew discouraged. There was a moment when all this changed. I was standing in a friend’s studio, an old carriage house with a wood burning stove, and admiring the preliminary pencil sketches tacked to the walls and the detailed figurative paintings hanging in homemade frames. Many of his paintings took months to create. I confessed that I didn’t feel like an artist because my work happens so quickly; so spontaneously. I questioned, “Is it good enough? Is it valid?” He placed his two hands on my shoulders and looked me in the eyes. He said very slowly and very assuredly, “Rachael, your artwork took you a life time to create.” In a single moment, through that one simple statement, my artistic expression was fully received finally by me. I had to embrace my own journey, my own voice, my own experiences. There is no one like me, there is no one like you. We each have a life of experiences that make us who we are, what we think, and what we need to express.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I used to be discouraged that I was not a “cookie cutter artist”; I was worried that I was always changing styles, color palettes and subject matter. I looked at other artists who were so consistent in their art making and thought I wasn’t good enough. What I originally thought was a deficit turned out to be an asset as clients enjoy returning to my work over many years and truly look forward to what is next.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Studio practice for me does not mean painting in my studio every day. Through the years I have attended over 20 art residencies where I have hours of dedicated time to paint a body of work that is inspired by a new environment. My most recent experience was just this past April on a 15 day sailing expedition aboard a three-mast tall ship with The Arctic Circle Artist and Scientist Residency Program, along the coast of Spitsbergen in Svalbard, Norway. From Argentina to the Polar Arctic -and everywhere in between, including France, Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Denmark, Sicily, Spain, Santa Fe, Michigan’s State and National Parks, Maine, Virginia and even Kentucky’s Keeneland Raceway! Art residencies around the world have afforded me an incredible wealth of inspiration of people, place and culture. Traveling to a residency, whether in the US or abroad, stimulates fresh work, and keeps my art followers and galleries engaged in my artistic practice. Along with them, I always wonder, “What will come next?” By engaging in social media on a daily basis, clients, gallerists and new followers of my work become a part of the artistic journey with me; I love that I can offer a glimpse into an artist’s life and share the source of my inspiration.
I am my own promoter of my work. I don’t rely solely on my galleries to do it all for me. Every gallery is a team player with me in promoting and selling my work; it is essential that I am posting regularly on social media, making my own contacts, running a well-organized and professional business, providing quality service, and collaborating with my galleries on a regular basis with promotion and exhibition of work. Striving to work with my galleries to provide the best experience possible for each client is important to me. I would say 60% of my studio practice is administration, promotion, inventory and management of artwork, and the other 40% is actually creating art. I encourage other artists to be true to their unique voice and style, to keep ideas fresh by having a variety of “input”, to strive for integrity in all interactions, to cherish and respect artistic and professional relationships, to be thankful in all ways, and to work very hard. If you want to make a living as an artist you have to treat it as a business, for me it is a 6:45am-5:00pm job. You can still be passionate about what you do, but emotions cannot control your choices and work. It is a business after all, not a hobby.
Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
I have always felt that someone believed in my artistic expression. My parents encouraged my creativity by finding avenues for me to make money through art, even as young as 12 years old. My father, who was an international businessman and hobbyist artist, was always on the lookout for small art and design work I could do for his friends and colleagues. He believed in my creative voice and my ability to draw and design. My parents taught me that my art-making was a gift to be shared with others. My hunger for travel came way of the, “Toblerone”; that golden wrapped iconic pyramid-shaped, chocolate-nougat bar that my father used to pick up from the Duty-Free area of the airport. His stories of international travels, the intriguing business partners we would host in our home for dinner, and of course, the special candies and trinkets from foreign places all played a wonderful role in my fascination for travel.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.rachaelvandyke.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vandyker/
Image Credits
Personal photo: David Uttley
