Daily Inspiration: Meet Rachel O’Donnell

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel O’Donnell.

Hi Rachel, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
To say I’ve always had an interest in the arts is far too polite, it’s been more like an obsession. I didn’t even bother applying to non-art schools when it came time to look at colleges. I’ve always known that I wanted to be in the arts and I ended up going to Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY with a presidential scholarship (which slightly assuaged the fears of my parents- at least, some of the monetary ones). With a BFA in painting, I came to Los Angeles in 2015. I’ve been lucky enough to show my work all over the United States at art galleries such as Hashimoto Contemporary in New York, La Luz de Jesus Gallery, New Image Art and in publications like Juxtapoz Magazine. I am also honored to have a permanent ten-foot tall mural of silent film actress Anna May Wong inside the Chinese American Museum in Los Angeles!

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
If you’re looking for a simple and easy career path, the arts is not it, especially with painting. I don’t say this to scare off aspiring artists but I think honesty is always helpful. Being a painter is very much a freelance type of situation, so you often never know where your next paycheck is coming from. I’ve often had other part-time jobs to supplement my income. A lot of people don’t understand that being an artist is like gambling; you’re spending hours on a piece, hoping it’ll sell, with no guarantee that those hours spent on a painting will pay off financially. I’ll spend 60 hours on a piece, only to split the sales price (50%) with a gallery and then galleries generally wait 30-90 days after a show closes to pay you. This is the industry standard and a far more complicated subject to get into, but, sufficient to say you’re going to have to find a way to balance your financial situation with your studio practice. For me, it’s worth the struggle. I know I would not be happy in any other career.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My artwork has always been in conversation with the horror genre and old Hollywood. For the past two years, I’ve really intensified this focus, taking inspiration from pulp art, old horror films and magazines like Weird Tales and comics like Tales from the Crypt. I find horror to be fascinating as it tells us so much about the society it comes from. What scares us tells us so much about where we are as a culture, especially on topics of gender, sexuality, race and more. Critical analysis of film theory is also weaved into the work. I feel that this connection to film very much ties my art to Los Angeles and the United States in general. Film is such an ingrained part of the American psyche and it’s interesting to dissect the imagery and archetypes that come from horror films as they have influenced us far beyond their original release date.

Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
There are two quotes I love to bring up when talking about risk. The first one is from Dolly Parton and it goes “You’ll never do a whole lot unless you’re brave enough to try”. Not everything is going to pan out as you planned but I think all experience is valuable when you can learn from it. The second, I believe, is from Quincy Jones and I couldn’t find the exact wording, but it was something to the effect of, “you wouldn’t believe how much people aren’t watching you”, which I think is important to remember in this social media obsessed climate we’re in. We’re hyper-fixated on curating posts and “creating a brand” when in reality, that’s not how great art is made. If you want to make a sculpture and you’ve never done it before, do it! If it’s a mess, who cares? Don’t post it, or, be brave and do. People aren’t fixating on your every move and if they do, they’re the one that needs a new hobby. Embrace failing. There’s always a point in every painting I make where I think, “why did I think this would work? I really overestimated my abilities”, but, you just let the doubt ride and keep going. Embracing risk and uncertainty will always make you a better artist.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.rachelodonnellart.com
• Instagram: http://instagram.com/rachelodonnell/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4-BhOJ3bi0AVGNI08XkQUA
• Other: https://rachelodonnell.bigcartel.com