Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Mambach.
Hi Rachel, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My father is an incredible painter and my maternal grandmother was a seamstress so art and creating have always been a part of my life. I don’t remember a time growing up when I wasn’t making something. When I was in first grade, my art teacher selected my drawing of a tooth fairy for a local art competition. She must have seen something in my art that she wanted to nurture and encourage.
In middle school, my friends and I adored our art teacher and spent time with her every chance we had. In high school, I was president of the art club. Now, I am an artist and elementary school art teacher. My family and my teachers were always very supportive of my interest in art.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Anyone can be an artist. Make art, and you are an artist. Picasso said every child is an artist, and he was so right.
Becoming an artist isn’t hard. Maintaining the title of the artist is hard. Finding time to make art is hard. Marketing yourself as an artist is hard.
As a mother and wife with a full-time teaching job, it is hard to find time to make art. After my son was born, I didn’t make art regularly for quite a while. I decided that 2023 is the year I’m changing that. I wake up earlier or go to bed later. I make art in short spurts rather than longer spans of time. I reprioritized my time, and it has been a game changer.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Recently, I’ve been creating a lot of mandalas, and I held a few mandala workshops pre-COVID and pre-motherhood.
Growing up, I loved creating intricate designs and mandalas really lend themselves to that. Traditional mandalas have perfect symmetry. In some cultures, the mandalas are created with colored sand and then swept up to symbolize that nothing in life is permanent. My mandalas do not have perfect symmetry. I measure everything by sight and leave my mistakes because the imperfections aren’t really noticeable once the mandalas are finished. It reminds me to step back and look at the big picture. Sometimes it’s so easy to get sidetracked by the details, but the big picture is what’s important.
In general, I love the color. Most of my artwork has intricate patterns or is inspired by nature. I love working with watercolors, markers, and colored pencils. Sometimes I also use fibers like burlap, yarn, and embroidery thread. At times I even integrate buttons and beads into my work.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs, or other resources you think our readers should check out?
Honestly, I just love a good notebook. Lists are my favorite method for keeping organized. Of course, I also use things like Google sheets for the bookkeeping-type things I need to do.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.rachelmambach.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelmambachart
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/rachelmambachart
- Other: www.rachelmambachart.threadless.com
