insideKENT Magazine Issue 68 - November 2017 | Page 37

ARTS+ENTERTAINMENT
KENT ARTIST PROFILE:
RACHEL ARIF
by Lisamarie Lamb
If you had to define your art, how would you
describe what you do?
I think this is what I’ve struggled with the most;
it’s an ongoing debate. I think as time goes by
and my work ‘matures’, my style is more
distinctive but not necessarily instantly
recognisable. I struggle with the notion of
having to have ‘a style’ before you can
successfully sell your work. I like the freedom
of creativity. I don’t want to be pigeonholed
yet I realise this is an area I need to focus on
and build overtime. It’s getting there. Overall,
I’d say I create paintings that I have some
emotional connection to. I love to paint coastal
scenes, marshes and rural landscapes. I am
particularly drawn to the Suffolk coastal towns
of Aldeburgh, Southwold, Thorpness and
Walberswick. I love weather, extreme weather,
whether it’s a hot summer’s day or a cold
blustery day.
Our land and weather here in the UK make us
who we are – they are part of our very soul. I
am always trying to find ways to capture that
moment, evoking those weather-filled days.
I use acrylic and oil. I’m currently using lots
of mixed media – I love the depth and texture
you can create. I’d definitely say my work is
more ‘abstract realism’ than anything else. I
like to see brushstrokes, imperfections even.
It’s a painting, not a photograph; it makes it
more interesting.
How did you become an artist?
I studied art in my younger years but didn’t
think I’d end up doing it for a living. I was
extremely scatty in my youth and couldn’t
quite settle on any career path. I’ve worked for
telecommunication companies, legal,
photography and as interior aesthetic content
writer for The Plum Guide. Nothing really
satisfied me nor did I feel fulfilled or hugely
motivated in any way. I think my love of
beautiful spaces helps. I like to create art that
people will want to display, paintings that are
memorable.
Once my two children, Sophia and Isaac, both
started school full time I found I had more
time on my hands – an opportunity to devote
my time to something meaningful to me, and
hopefully others. I resumed my love of
painting and the rest is history. I changed my
garage into a modest studio and started to
paint again, sometimes using a photo as a
reference or ‘En Plein Air’ (painting outdoors
on location).
What has been your proudest artistic
achievement to date?
I would say my proudest achievement to date
is exhibiting several of my paintings at The
Brick Lane Gallery in Shoreditch. It was very
early days and I did well. I am also very proud
of a recent painting that I was commissioned
to do for some friends who had hired an
interior designer to makeover their dining
room. I was both humbled and flattered that
they wanted a piece of my artwork for what
turned out to be a very beautiful space.
Where have you exhibited your work?
To date I have exhibited in The Brick Lane
Gallery London, The George Farnham Gallery
Suffolk, Wrattens Interiors Chislehurst, Olivie
Studio Framingham Suffolk, Snape Maltings
Suffolk.
You’re partly based in Chislehurst – what
does the area mean for you and your art?
Chislehurst to me is an undiscovered gem:
leafy trees, Chislehurst Caves, twisty lanes in
the heart and stunning Scadbury Park where
I love to paint on occasion. I really like it as a
place to live. It's the archetypal English village
with duck ponds and a cricket club. I am
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