Throughout the month of March, we have been highlighting three Canadian artists who we are especially inspired by recently. Not only have we have been lucky enough to create exclusive art prints with them, we sat down with these lovely women to get the inside scoop, and we are so excited to share these interviews with you!
And now we are thrilled to present the final interview in our Artist Series with Rachael Meckling. You may know her for her dramatic fluttery lash illustrations, or her incredibly colourful murals, but you're about to get to know her so much better!
These days, success can be defined in so many ways. It's no longer the classic definition of our parents' generation, so what does success look like to you? "I feel successful when I feel proud of what I do, no matter the amount of money. Money is nice though. I love getting paid to do what makes me feel most confident and inspired - illustrating and even more deeply illustrating LIVE. I’m loving this ride."
Your fashion portraits have a very elegant and flirty style, and we especially love the bold eyelashes! Did you develop this style in Fashion School or did it evolve with time?
"My flutter lashes are definitely an evolution of themselves... Started out with very realistic eyes. I’d gaze at magazines, never tracing, and try to get them right. I prefer to exaggerate, so my lashes grew. Then became their own signature shape in about 2009, and then lately evolved to a very standardized style. Now, I illustrate what I call a flutter lash. As fuzzy as they are, they have so much personality and like you said, a flirty nature! My art style as a whole though, I describe is like me as a broken robot making the same lines, but they’re my own unique lines and I can count on them. Fashion School with all its incredible classes; Fashion Illustration, History of Costume, Fashion Design, etc, made me do the work, but my style has always just been my style, since probably 6th grade! My Mum and I had a similar drawing style, I miss her."
To us, part of what it means to feel empowered is feeling confident in your body, and a lot of that has to do with clothing. Many of the outfits in your fashion portraits feature stunning patterns and bold colours. Would you say that your art encourages women to step outside their comfort zone when coming to you for one of these portrait sessions? "Fashion can be SO LIBERATING as much as being naked can. Clothing isn’t really optional for the most part though, so it can become an art form (if you let it) and can give some huge clues as to who a person is. Even the subtleties. I take those clues and stretch my clients minds a little.
I think my job is to find the most couture version of my clients, and that definitely makes them feel fantastical, and opens their minds to their own perception of themselves. Another area my work challenges the client is experiencing themselves as my muse. It is flattering you know, having someone paint you. At the end they always leave so delighted even if they’re nervous for a minute or 5!"
"I think my job is to find the most couture version of my clients, and that definitely makes them feel fantastical"
We love that some of your works feature the more natural parts of our bodies, like skin texture and body hair, things that often not portrayed by mainstream media. What advice would you give to women about reclaiming those parts we often hide? "It’s hard to say reclaim because at no point in my generation did I feel like it was “lost”; because it was never there. We are reclaiming generations of lost agency. During my formative years, the media was always about hair removal, diets, judgements. I think hair is hair and it’s not a big deal either way! We just have to take ourselves a little less seriously and do whatever WE WANT!
My joy in illustrating super voluptuous women comes from my own love of my own curves. I suppose the girls I draw represent how I personify my thighs, my curves & rolls. Vanilla creme."
You mentioned on your website that "colour is everything", and we can see that in everything you do, including your hair! It was pink a couple months ago, and now it's baby blue, what colour are you thinking next?
"I love dying my hair! I use Pulp Riot. It fades so gorgeously. Just less and less tinted. I’m going to stick with blue for a bit, but I love how each look I’ve done sparks memories, and reminds me of the vibes of the season of that time in my life. It’s a sensual experience, always growing with your hair."
What is your favourite way to practice self-care?
"My little thing I’ve been doing lately is I’ve come all the way back to real nail polish. I love filing my toes and painting them RED, paying attention to all the details, stretching as I go because they’re so far away! The red looks so vibrant and feels gooey. I hate the smell but I love the experience." And now, to wrap up, let's do a fun rapid-fire round!
Coffee or tea? Tea! But coffee ice cream is my fav ice cream so…
Reading or podcast? Podcasts & audible. Reading is not something my brain has patience for.
Comedy or horror? COMEDY. If I watched or listened to a horror show or even worse, movie, I’d be scarred for life. Too sensitive.
Bath or shower? BATH! I love laying and feeling the water on myself.
Purple or pink? PINK! But variations of lavenders and lilacs are also life-long favourites.
Thanks so much for chatting with us Rachael! We can definitely feel your energy and vibrancy come through in your answers and your work! And don't forget – every order throughout the month of March will receive one of these exclusive 5"x7" art prints, free with purchase!