What Makes Rachael, Rachael?
I am someone who just loves to create. I have three incredible children (Poppy, Daisy and Hendrix), a dog Coco and a wonderful husband who loves and supports me deeply (and puts up with lots of mess). I truly believe that my brain is magical and allows me to see the beauty in everything. I am extremely grateful for my little family and the life I live and that I have the chance to create daily.
Creating is my happiness. If I have had a hard day or something is upsetting me, I paint. If I have had a wonderful day and I want to celebrate, I paint. Painting allows me to become immersed in the state of flow and that is truly amazing. There is nothing a lick of paint on a canvas hasn't fixed. I cannot keep still and love to make the most out of my days.
What Does An Art Teacher Actually Do?
I am a primary school art teacher and I absolutely love it. Being able to teach the next generation of young artists brings me so much joy and I am not going to lie, a lot of them are a lot better than me. I am constantly in awe of these little people who create without inhibition and produce stunning pieces. I have moments throughout the day where I think to myself that I can't believe that I get paid to do this job because I really do love it so much.
I have also written and illustrated a few books, and I am very proud of that. The publishing industry is a difficult one to crack so I consider myself lucky to have books with my words and artwork in little hands turning the pages. My books were created using painted paper collage which is a fun (and messy) medium. My Amazing Animal Alphabet Alliteration Book (Redback Publishing) is my first book and I created that on my kitchen table when Daisy was napping. One of my favourite books is a little board book titled What Is It? (Loose Parts Press) which is all about creating art, written by the fabulous Sharon Baldwin. That one is very special to read when I do school visits.
I am also an artist and consider myself to be a creative person. My brain is always busy thinking of wonderful things to create. Whether that is a piece of writing or an artwork, creating is my passion. I love experimenting with different techniques and mediums so I wouldn't say that I have a particular style. I love colour and texture and that seems to be a bit of a thing for me.
How Did Rachael End Up Teaching Art?
I studied a Bachelor of Education to become a classroom teacher and as my own children and passion for the arts started to grow, I obtained the art teacher role and I couldn't be happier. I had to resign from a school I loved as they wanted to put me back in the classroom and I knew it wasn't right for me. I took a leap of faith to continue being an art teacher and just secured a permanent position at a wonderful school which is so exciting. I think that trusting my gut feeling and trusting the universe got me to where I am today. Always trust that gut feeling.
What I find particularly special about art teaching is that everyone can achieve success. Whether you are dyslexic (like me) or neurodiverse (also like me), you can successfully create and be really happy doing it.
I am a self-trained artist who has refined my craft over the past few years. When I look back at the art I created 10 years ago, it is considerably different to the art that I am creating now. I think that I have found my style, but I don't pigeon hole myself into one style and just do what makes me happy.
What Is Rachael Most Proud Of?
Honestly, my kids. Seeing them create and develop a passion for the arts is ultimate happiness for me. Poppy is an extremely talented drawer, Daisy is a gifted painter and Hendrix loves making a mess. My perfect day consists of my children painting next to me where we are both working on our projects. I am so thankful to Tam, Ryan and the InMag crew for providing opportunities for my kids to showcase their work.
Second to that, being able to publish books where lots of little people can have my artwork in their homes is amazing. Poppies and daisies are riddled through my books and I created Little Llama's Big Question while pregnant with Hendrix. That's pretty cool.
Got questions?
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Less than you'd think. Rachael says her students are often better than she is, and she loves it. Art teaching is mostly about helping kids try things, make a mess, and trust their own ideas. Knowing how to mix a colour or use a glue stick matters more than being a perfect drawer.
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Rachael did a Bachelor of Education, which is the course you do to become a teacher. She started as a classroom teacher and moved into art teaching once her own kids were growing up and she realised the arts were where her heart was. The art side of her work is self-taught - she's been painting and refining her style for years.
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Yep. Get some paper, pick the messiest medium your grown-ups will tolerate, and make something. Rachael wrote and illustrated her first book on her kitchen table while one of her kids was napping. You don't need a studio. You need a flat surface and the willingness to keep going when a piece doesn't come out the way you pictured.
