tink makes art

One of the things I take time to do at least once a month is sit down, open my address book, grab some stationary, and write letters!  I love receiving snail mail (Doesn’t everybody?), but oddly, I think I love writing to my friends and family even more.  Maybe it’s the satisfaction that it will make them smile, feel encouraged and loved, or that it will arrive in their hands at just the right moment when they need it the most.  An email can be nice, even a phone call, but, to me, a personalized, hand-written note just says a little more.

In honor of my love for letter writing and to encourage you to get your pens moving, I am giving away two sets of four postcards to two lucky winners.  These postcards are no ordinary postcards.  They are prints of my art from the series Inspirations and Face||Story.  Winners will receive four postcards of mixed varieties.

To enter, comment on this post telling me anything you want in relation to letter writing, whether it’s a time when you received or wrote a letter, what you think about snail mail, or how annoyed you are that stamps keep getting more expensive.

Entries must be received by midnight on June 19th.
Winners will be contacted via email.

Thanks for reading…and writing!

I am one of those artists who has multiple projects, a million bodies of work, and several varying styles of art. It’s hard to know what to focus on and how to present the broad scope of what I do. Here’s an idea: REORGANIZE!

Over the next few months, the presentation of my paintings and projects will change slightly. I will be rebranding the designs of Rachel Freeman. This is all still in the works, so several changes could be made including whole new sites, a new domain, etc.  The main agenda is to organize my various projects – blog, paintings, and home decor items – so each is easily understood and read in the virtual world and beyond.  My home decor items are not currently featured on my site but will be launched with the new branding.  These include wine bottle lamps, re-purposed vintage jewelry stands, and more.  I don’t know what will happen or even what each part will look like, but I’m excited!  I hope you are too!

I took the step.  That’s right.  I joined Twitter.

Follow me!

Tweet tweet.

I added a new page to the Store: Commissions. This will give you information about commissioning me for a painting including the process, pricing, etc.

Please Note: I added several new terms/requirements for commissions. If you are a current client (before this post date), these terms do not apply.

My first solo exhibition at a Francesca’s Dessert Cafe in Durham, North Carolina came to an end the beginning of March. Now, two months later, I have another show at Calmate Cafe* in Port Orange, Florida.

It all came together quite lovely. I planned a trip to Florida in February to attend my college best friend’s graduation from grad school. The day before I was set to leave, April 23, I received a message from another college friend. He said he just opened a cafe in Port Orange and wanted to talk about showing my work there. I replied quickly excited to inform him I was on my way to the Sunshine State the following day. Within 24 hours, I had the paintings picked out, labels printed, the work packed up, and was on my way.

Pieces on display will include a series of small, wooden works including Always Dreaming and Let Love Fly, several paintings from the series Unseen Terrors, and a few selected others including Dare to Dream.  These works will be on display as well as available for purchase.  If you are in the area, be sure to stop by the cafe, sip on some Kava, and enjoy the art!

*Calmate Cafe is an eclectic artists’ cafe and Kava bar in Port Orange, FL. It is open late every night, features live music and a variety of fine art, and offers free wi-fi and books.

Calmate Cafe
5253 S. Ridgewood Ave.
Port Orange, FL

How would you describe yourself as an artist?

I am a painter. My paintings are usually a mixture of acrylic and spray paint and often include collage and ink on canvas, paper, or wood. My color tends to be bold and lines heavy and strong. I use my paintings to encourage and inspire, but also to inform. So, one painting may read “dare to dream” while another piece reads, figuratively, “child soldiers exists.”

(more…)

Now on SALE for $25!

I do admit, since the new year things have been a bit slow on the production end.  The inspiration and imaginative mood I need to paint has not been there…until recently.  Beautiful weather and the lovely natural world being where I draw much of my inspiring thoughts and artistic confidence, the warmer temperatures, blooming flowers, and singing birds have awaken my creativity once again.  Things dormant in the Winter now show life as Spring approaches…

STORE UPDATE:  There are new paintings (not newly painted, but older pieces now for sale), reduced-price paintings (including all small, wooden pieces like the one above), and painted CLOCKS now available on the Store page!  I am doing a clock series for a limited time.  These clocks were handcrafted by my step dad, Barney Redden, over 10 years ago.  There are currently only two for sale, but more are on there way.  Check back again soon!

ARTIST UPDATE:  I am now volunteering at the Durham Art Guild, a local non-profit dedicated to showcasing both emerging and established regional artists.  Next week, I begin a Web Marketing and Publicity Internship with the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University.  I am excited to be more involved in the Durham’s art community.

Thanks for reading!  Don’t forget to swing by the Store before you leave.

LOVE and PEACE,
Rachel