Artist Rachel Burton has been a contributor to the Brisbane fashion and art scene for many years as have some of her besties, who also double as muses for her latest work, and happen to include some of Australia’s most successful creative’s and entrepreneurs. Geoffrey J Finch(Antipodium), Karl Maier(Rinzen), Barrie Barton(Right Angle Studio), Joseph Tenni(Chadwick’s Models), Jolyon Mason (stylist) and Stevie King (Modular Records) to name but a few.
For Rachel’s latest work she has chosen to focus specifically on the men who have helped inspire, shape and colour her life.
Having designed clothes for her own boutique SUPAFUN from 1994 – 2004, which was situated in Brisbane’s Fortitude valley. Through the design process of her contemporary line Rachel is drawn (excuse the pun) to the details of garments, prints and patterns, texture, detail in fabric, stitching and design quirks.
“I like drawing my peers- for me drawing a person I don’t know personally makes no sense! Sounds a bit naff – but I feel that I understand their character, know their flaws, ambitions and motivations which in turn makes the image creation process so much more rewarding- hopefully this becomes evident through the expression of the drawing.”
The garment is a key part of the image making process, and considering her contemporaries are such individual and ostentatious dressers one can only be fascinated by the minute details of their day to day clobber.
By using minimal colour, usually only one at a time and through the effective use of white background space which is almost as vital as the drawing itself, Rachel highlights the characteristics, facial mannerisms and peculiarities of her closest friends and in doing so, gets to know them even better.
Rachel will showcase THE BOYS at Somewhere Gallery from the 10th of February through to the 3rd of March.
