Born and raised under Texas skies, artist Rachel English is known for her vivid, hyper-realistic cloudscapes that challenge her audience to gaze upward and untether themselves from their known reality.
"Rain or shine, the skies shape our experience in both ordinary ways, and in ways that draw us closer to the divine, through their mystifying light and scale." - Rachel English
A lifelong fascination with the fields of astronomy and physics sustains her painting technique, involving layers of oil color and brushwork to describe cosmic forms on canvas. Hand-painted stars, bolts of lightning, and cloudscapes are rendered with meticulous detail to evoke connections between the physical laws of nature and transcendent themes like morality and suffering, and to extend a mindful appreciation toward a universe that is much greater than ourselves.
Square One Gallery got the chance to take a peek behind the curtain and speak to English about her studio practice and inspirations that go into creating her heavenly artworks.
When did you begin your career as an artist, and what inspired you?
Growing up, the ability to draw and paint always felt like this magical super power I was lucky to have. The intent to weave it into my future occupation arose from that mindset, in spite of originally pursuing a psychology degree. My first commissioned piece (a portrait I did in college) was the onset of approaching painting as a career, which prompted my transition to the fine arts school at my university. That was where my fellow art students, mentors, and professors inspired me to pour everything I had into manifesting a living making art.
How does the omission of landscapes play into the message of your art—do you feel this is what places the viewer “Between Heaven and Earth?”
Omitting the landscape supposes the untethering from the material, known world, and the embrace of possibility in the unknown. In some sense, this is how we imagine what Heaven is, and it’s one of the most miraculous things about being human.
How do you feel your works enable a dialogue, or opportunity for reflection, between the viewer and a higher power?
The skies are a classic symbol of what inspires awe. Their vastness and mysteriousness create the perfect backdrop for an elevated way of thinking. But I happen to believe that anything and everything can enable reflection with a higher power. Sometimes noticing the simplest thing can spontaneously overwhelm you with divinity. The key is to stay open to the possibility of it being there.
What is your thought process behind the paintings of storm clouds, as a lot of your work involves much brighter scenes.
Not to sound cliche, but not everything is sunshine and blue skies, right? It’s important to acknowledge that suffering and affliction exist in this fragile, constrained, physical reality. The darkness of the storms illustrates that contrast. But the storms in our lives are often what most effectively draw us to the foot of Heaven, humbled and inspired by the notion of encountering something infinitely greater than ourselves.
Do you feel the scale of the clouds you portray relate to your thoughts on humanity?
Scale is key when it comes to attention, and where we direct our attention matters. Humanity is uniquely gifted with the ability to observe and contemplate the cosmic forces acting upon and through our movements. That’s pretty incredible to me.
What were your thoughts during the opening at Square One, how did viewers connect with your message?
Entering the gallery where the walls, floors, and ceiling were all painted obscenely white was a sublime experience. The room glowed, popping the shades of the whites and blues in the paintings and playing visual tricks as if the gallery goers were all floating around like angels. Max, Tanner, and Ted were wonderful hosts. The people who came out to the show were engaging; I got to have a meaningful exchange with nearly everyone there. My greatest hope for my work is that what I create will inspire human connection, so to see that play out on the opening night at Square One is something I will treasure in my heart forever.
How will you continue to evolve your practice, are there any themes or scenes you wish to explore?
I am in the final stages of a homebuilding project on a ranch in the Texas hill country (a place well known for its skies). It is extremely exciting to imagine unfolding into that natural terrain, spreading out in my new studio, and just playing. I love to paint large scale compositions, and will have more room to do that. I’ll also have access to a welder out there, so the idea of experimenting with sculpture has me daydreaming quite a bit. As far as subject matter goes, my sense is that there’s still more to explore in the skies.
To learn more about Rachel English and her available works, visit her artist page here.
Written by Cole Martinez
