Rachel Harvey is an artist of decisiveness and positivity, creating bright colourful pieces filled with emotion, narrative, and elements of nostalgia. Exploring the nuances of Blackness and redefining representation that is absent of the burdens and expectations of mainstream ideals, Rachel’s work celebrates the beauty of Black identity and culture. I spoke with Rachel to discuss her creative practice and process, inspirations, the value of introspection, and utilising fashion as a medium of self-expression.

NAHUEL CONTRERAS I understand that you are a self-taught painter. How did you begin your pursuit into art, and what first drew you to watercolours? RACHEL HARVEY My pursuit into art began from being inspired by Black art in my household. Growing up, I remember having portraits of beautiful Black faces in my living room that I would stare at for ages, just so captured by their beauty. I loved the way the lighting hit their faces and how the undertones of their skin came through at different colours. I greatly admired their traditional African clothing and accessories. Having Black art in my household taught me to associate Blackness with beauty and pride before I was old enough to even understand what being Black was. In our dining room, we also used to have a huge original painting done by my creative uncle, depicting a scene of men reaching into a river to catch crabs in Trinidad. Even though I haven’t physically seen the painting in years, I can still clearly visualise it in my mind because it stuck with me,

My art style began with the classic style of stickmen and painting-by-numbers sheets that my dad would buy me. As someone who is good at art, he was supportive of my creative interests, and I would often receive gifts of painting-by-numbers sheets, colouring books, felt tips, and colouring pencils as a child. As I got older and began to become obsessed with reading books by Jacqueline Wilson, I learned how to draw basic faces by tracing the illustrations in her books until I could copy her style freehand. Once I had my own freehand style, my sketching abilities could simply develop from there.

I first got into painting after experimenting with the medium during my studies of GCSE art. As part of the course, we don’t only have to produce art but we also have to research a theme behind it and experiment with different ways of creating it in our sketchbook. At the time, I was working on an art piece about a Black Cinderella – I watched the version of Cinderella featuring Brandy and Whitney Houston and almost cried at how beautiful it was to see someone who looks like me be a princess on screen. I experimented with acrylic and watercolour but found that acrylic paint was thick, uneven when painted on paper, and difficult to blend. Watercolours, on the other hand, were easy to blend, mistakes were easy to correct, and the colours looked much softer. I liked watercolour because it was the medium I was best at. NC Who or what influences you and your work? RH When I paint, I do so for the simple enjoyment of it. Painting is a long, slow process that requires concentration, patience, and care. It is almost meditational in this way. I am also inspired by ideas in Eastern philosophy, which emphasise the need to enjoy the process of doing something instead of focusing on the outcome. This mind-set is learned through art but can be adapted to fit into so many other areas of life.

Whenever I talk about what inspired me to get serious about my art as a business, I always refer to the story of a little Black girl looking at my work at an art exhibition and being amazed by my painting. This memory inspires me whenever I work, but on a deeper level it has resonated with me so much because the girl in question reminds me so much of my younger self. As a child, I hated my complexion and used to try to bleach and exfoliate my Blackness away. As someone who went to majority white primary and secondary schools where I was subject to racist bullying, I felt very disconnected from my ethnic community. After experiencing depression at age 16, my self-esteem was below zero and I felt like I wasn’t good at anything. My art is made to comfort this inner child that was once so confused, and to comfort others who may have their own difficult stories of confusion or hatred for their racial identity. My work is Black centred to make Blackness synonymous with beauty, and it is colourful to appeal to my own childish and bright nature. NC What is your creative process when painting? RH Firstly, I find a reference photo. Even though my paintings rarely look anything like the photos I reference, it still takes me hours to find them. I don’t know why but I’m extremely picky about what photos I use; I just keep scrolling until I find one that makes me stop and think “YOU!”,

Typically, painting takes between 6 and 16 hours so I only have time to do a good quality portrait in summer and during school holidays. In the warm weather, I’m used to laying a blanket on the grass in my garden or a local park, playing some calming music on my headphones and painting. Once I’ve started, I won’t move from my spot unless I need to eat or use the toilet, and I can concentrate on painting for a single time of up to six hours. NC You speak about the importance of immersing our homes and spaces with colourful paintings. Engaging with art has shown to be beneficial to wellbeing. Do you apply mindfulness to your creative practice? RH The first step to having a positive internal voice is surrounding yourself with positivity, and my art is a testament to this. My paintings cover my bedroom walls and it brings my bedroom to life, allowing it to burst with colour. Whenever I’m sad, looking at it brightens my day. NC In regard to your first gallery exhibition in Walthamstow, you mention that your painting elicited an emotional response from a young Black girl and her father. It is incredibly affirming to see positive Black representations in art; do you prioritise how your work will resonate with viewers? RH Always. The value that art has lies in the weight of the emotional connection we form towards it. I have seen the emotional impact that my work can have on individuals, and I personally feel a positive connection to my own work, and my mission is to recreate this positive feeling in as many people as I can. Honest and positive Black representation is in high demand and short supply, and the power that art has to provide this representation is underappreciated. NC How important is narrative clarity and accessibility of meaning? Should a viewer have to work hard to decipher the artwork? RH All my work is simple looking but is inspired by deep meanings and embedded with subtle symbolism. I don’t usually discuss such meanings because I believe that a piece of art means most to someone when its meaning is ambiguous and the viewer is forced to create their own interpretation of its meaning, typically forming a story in their head that is based on their life experiences and their individual perception of the world. A narrative is incredibly important in artwork as it emotionally binds us to the art. Without it, a painting is just another decoration on the wall with no value. It is our emotional connection to a painting that determines its value.
Should a viewer work hard to decipher a piece of work? I think the best pieces of work that I love are ones that have made me think. The brain craves learning and it craves a need to find deeper meaning even where there is none. Sometimes having an obvious narrative in a painting is effective but personally the writer in me likes to search for deeper meaning in everything. NC Your paintings utilise the visual impact of colour combinations to communicate. How important is the use of colour to your practice? RH Colour is nostalgic. It makes me happy and awakens my inner child who yearns for fun, happiness, and playfulness. Without colour, the world is dark and depressing… who wants to be surrounded by that?
In many ways, my use of colour is not only a signal of nostalgia and happiness, but it is also a statement. When I was diagnosed with depression, my self-esteem was non-existent and I hated myself. Now, I am recovered and am determined to live my life existing loudly, unafraid to take up space and express my individuality. In the same way that colour stands out amongst the grey, my confidence and determination not to give up on what I believe in stands out amongst negative thoughts and criticism. I am here and I am not going anywhere. NC In your artist statement you make a salient point addressing how the industry often capitalises on Black oppression and trauma under the guise of ‘representation’ and burdens Black artists with the responsibility to educate what is already accessible. Your paintings celebrate Black personhood and centre Black culture and identity, free from notions of societal marginalisation. What themes do you explore? RH The biggest theme explored in my artwork is Black identity. I omit symbols from my work and paint simple portraits to ask the question of when you strip away symbolism, logos, and material possessions, what does identity mean to you? Or is the inclusion of a face, a skin tone, and hairstyle worthy of a thousand words on its own? It’s for the viewer to decide.

Self love (as a theme). When we see ourselves represented in a positive way through art and media, we feel beautiful and this is how I want my viewers to feel. As a plus size woman, seeing size inclusivity on a clothing website makes me feel represented and pretty so I ensure my clothing is not only printed with my artwork, which encourages self love, but I make it inclusive for plus size and gender non-conforming people too. NC Some of your artworks feature well-known characters reimagined, anchoring representation in the imaginative. Is the ability to portray an imaginative reality an asset of your art? RH Extremely. In our imagination, we can create and be anything we want to be, and cartoons and artwork help to instil that sense of confidence and control over our environment. Even as an adult, it’s important to keep that idea that we can manipulate our environment and be who we want to be. For those who weren’t able to build up confidence by watching cartoon characters on TV who look like them, I want to provide that representation. NC Emphasising on the lack of representation of diversity in cultural British society and the existing museum-industrial complex, what do you think the art world can do to become more inclusive? RH I think that diversity is a pressing issue for ethnic minorities in the art world but, even more importantly, the way in which we represent ethnic minorities is even more important. When large museums and art galleries present Black art, or art featuring Black people, they are often depicted as slaves, background characters made to fill space, or they are used to depict historical periods of oppression and cultural stereotypes. Black people in art embody all the negative stereotypes that have been placed upon us. The art industry can become more inclusive by allowing for greater representation of all types of all types of Black people, not just those who are used as storytellers.

Cultural diversity in art galleries is also an issue; people should not have to wait until there’s a ‘Black exhibition’ show to see Black artists. It is important that minority cultures have their own space to be seen, but that does not mean that this is the ONLY place where minority cultures should be seen. There should be a push for greater inclusion of Black artists’ work in art galleries not to tick a diversity box, but simply because we are artists and deserve attention just like any other creative. NC In addition to originals, you also sell prints, posters, mugs and sustainable clothing that feature your artwork. What is your favourite way to exhibit your art? RH A mix between posters and clothing! Posters are one of my favourite ways to exhibit my work because when they cover my bedroom walls it feels like I’m living in a private exhibition! I am also surrounded by my artwork at different stages of progression and it inspires me to keep going when I see recent paintings directly next to old ones and I can compare the two. Furthermore, when I look around my bedroom, I am reminded of the stories behind each painting and what was happening when I was making them. For example, one painting on my wall is one I did when I refused to go to prom and instead stayed home. I remember what music was playing, I remember wearing a relaxing facemask and I remember how I danced in my room when I was eating snacks. Memories like this make me happy.

Clothing is my (close) second favourite way to exhibit my work. Fashion is one of my most important forms of self-expression, clothing is something that is on my body all the time and the way those clothes look, says much about me as a person. As someone obsessed with bright colours, dressing colourfully is important to me and it makes me happy to do so. Fashion also has a deeper significance to me as a plus sized woman; I used to have severe anxiety about my body image and how others perceived it. I hated the fact that I was overweight, and I was terrified of wearing things like crop tops and shorts because I was terrified that others would see my fatness and judge me as harshly as I judged myself. But, as time progressed, I learned to love my body. With that self-love came a new wave of confidence to be bolder, brighter and truly authentic in how I dress and carry myself. Even when I’m at home, I style my outfits to be bright and colourful as a way to honour myself and feel comfortable. NC What’s coming up next for you and your work? RH Digital art. Because my watercolour portraits can take between 6 and 16 hours to create, I do not have time to make new work during term time whilst I am studying at university. Because of this lack of time to produce artwork, my ability to work to the standards that I am known for has decreased. Digital art allows me to produce high quality portraits in skin colour and non-skin colours much faster than before, and it allows me to begin doing commissions. Examples below: RH cont. I (also) want to start selling unique and colourful earrings that can be worn with my clothing items and are affordable. I also want to the use the opportunity to campaign for greater diversity in the fashion industry by collaborating with small influencers from minority backgrounds (ethnic and religious minorities, differently abled, queer, and people with skin conditions such as vitiligo and acne) to promote these new items.

Mentorship, magazine features. Recently I was accepted into a mentorship scheme from one of my favourite clothing companies and the scheme includes an opportunity to be featured on their website and in a physical pop-up shop. I am certain that this opportunity will teach me about how to better manage my business and will give me the confidence I need to be more adventurous, more engaging and transparent with my customers. I am also putting myself out there to be interviewed and featured in several online magazines managed by small creatives and larger organisations. I am hopeful that this will not only increase publicity for my brand, but answering questions can encourage me to think more deeply about my brand, what it stands for and how best to show it off.