Installation view of "Knock Turn" at Shockoe Artspace
I have been a fan of Rachel Jeffers’s work since I first saw it in McLean Project for the Arts’ "Strictly Painting" show in 2019. After meeting at the exhibition’s opening, I’ve gotten to know Rachel, and while I have been impressed by her sincerity and her work ethic, her solo show, “Knock Turn” at Shockoe Artspace blew me away. (It is on view through July.)
Rachel’s show of fifty paintings is full of surprises, and there is a sense of serious, yet playful discovery in her variety of material applications. Coupled with the works’ shifting figure-ground relationships, hazy atmospheres, and references to everyday objects, it makes for a viewing experience rich with the mundane-turned-magical.
Rachel is also involved in several unique artist communities, one of which being the publication Passing Notes. I asked her to answer a few questions for Art Habit to spread the word about her wonderful exhibition and how she is creating opportunities for other artists.
-Nikki/Art Habit
"Knock/Turn", oil on panel, 20" x 16", 2023
Art Habit: How did you decide you wanted to be an artist?
Rachel Jeffers: I don’t remember consciously making this decision; I always said I was going to be an artist. But the first time I remember seeing myself as an artist was in first grade. We were told to think of a story we knew and design a book cover for it. My sister had just played the part of Little Miss Muffet in her third-grade play the night before, so that’s the story I chose. I remember the excitement of knowing exactly what I wanted to make, and then sitting at my desk making it. I can still picture where my desk was positioned in the classroom, and then it’s like the entire world fell away as I worked. Later, I saw my drawing posted on the cafeteria wall, and it had been awarded a blue ribbon! The recognition was meaningful at that age because it felt like confirmation that this thing that had brought me such joy was the right fit for me.
Rachel Jeffers: I don’t remember consciously making this decision; I always said I was going to be an artist. But the first time I remember seeing myself as an artist was in first grade. We were told to think of a story we knew and design a book cover for it. My sister had just played the part of Little Miss Muffet in her third-grade play the night before, so that’s the story I chose. I remember the excitement of knowing exactly what I wanted to make, and then sitting at my desk making it. I can still picture where my desk was positioned in the classroom, and then it’s like the entire world fell away as I worked. Later, I saw my drawing posted on the cafeteria wall, and it had been awarded a blue ribbon! The recognition was meaningful at that age because it felt like confirmation that this thing that had brought me such joy was the right fit for me.
"Steam", oil on clayboard, 11" x 14", 2023
AH: How do you choose what to paint? What kinds of subjects or ideas inspire you to make a painting?
RJ: The ideal scenario is when I’m already deep into a body of work and new ideas for paintings are prompted by the work I’m making. There are so many decisions involved in the process of making a single painting – each choice could take things in an entirely new direction. It’s like parallel worlds that could just keep going infinitely. Another thing that happens when I’m absorbed in a body of work is that I begin to look at my everyday environment with a painter’s eye, and more and more subjects begin to seem relevant.
If I’m between projects, or looking to change to a new subject, I have found that it’s dangerous for me to overthink it too much. It’s better to just start painting. I try to pay attention to what I pay attention to in my everyday life, and then use that as a jumping off point. Once I start painting, the work will generate its own inspiration, or - more likely - its own problems that I feel compelled to solve.
"Cut Flowers", oil on clayboard, 9" x 12", 2022
AH: How do you think about “beauty” as related to the work you make?
RJ: I’m more interested in metaphor than I am in beauty. Some paintings are more beautiful than others but for me, the most interesting painting is one that prompts thought, or holds attention – art as a form of visual poetry. A painting is the direct result of my level of engagement with the materials and with the world around me at the time that it was made. Attentive, honest engagement, for me, is the aim.
RJ: I’m more interested in metaphor than I am in beauty. Some paintings are more beautiful than others but for me, the most interesting painting is one that prompts thought, or holds attention – art as a form of visual poetry. A painting is the direct result of my level of engagement with the materials and with the world around me at the time that it was made. Attentive, honest engagement, for me, is the aim.
"By the Light", oil on 2 panels, 11" x 14" and 7.25" x 6.28", 2020
AH: What are you currently reading that you’re excited about? What books do you like to recommend to other artists (and why)?
RJ: Three books I’m excited about right now are: The Pensive Image by Hanneke Grootenboer – it is about art as a form of thinking and explores the way looking at paintings prompts thought; Ways of Drawing from the Royal Drawing School has some really great contributions from a variety of artists about the practice and purpose of drawing; The Master and His Emissary, by Iain McGilchrist, about how the divided brain hemispheres work together and how their structure in the brain impacts our world and culture. I’ve always been fascinated by the left brain/right brain divide, and how this influences the process of making art and talking about art.
Other favorite art books include Mysteries of the Rectangle by Siri Hustvedt - I appreciate this book from the point of view of a writer, attempting to translate a visual experience into words. I recommend Looking at the Overlooked by Norman Bryson to anyone interested in still life painting, and the last chapter of the book in particular Still Life and Feminine Space which is about masculine versus feminine approaches to composing paintings. The Art Spirit by Robert Henri is a lovely book for painters. My all-time favorite art writer is Rudolf Arnheim, who breaks down the psychology of images in a thorough, dense, but still approachable way, particularly in the books Visual Thinking and Art and Visual Perception. And I have to mention The Alphabet Versus the Goddess by Leonard Shlain, which explores the impact of left brain (masculine) versus right brain (feminine) values throughout the history of various cultures, and the ways in which the prioritization of one set of values over the other has set the world off balance.
AH: How would you describe Passing Notes for readers who are unfamiliar with it? How did it come to exist?
RJ: Passing Notes is a magazine that showcases the writing of visual artists. In 2021 I took an online writing class with NYC Crit Club. The class was made up of artists who enjoy writing and were looking to develop our skills and connect with others who share our love of words and images. We were excited about the writing that was being created – there’s so much thoughtful writing out there that artists do that is never seen by anyone. So a group of us created Passing Notes to serve as a platform for artists who write. We see this as a way to build community and dialogue among a wide range of artists who are making work but who aren’t necessarily being shown in big galleries or written about in art publications. We are currently in the production process for Issue 3, which will be released this fall. Issues 1 and 2 can be found online, or you can order a print copy through our website.
"Cul-de-sac", oil on panel, 9" x 12", 2021
AH: What advice do you have for artists who are considering how they might create opportunities for other artists?
RJ: Just get started! You can learn and build as you go. I think it’s easy to assume that we’ll be judged harshly when we try something new but in reality, when it’s something you’ve put your heart into, people will sense your passion and most people will be generous and supportive. Many artists are in need of community so if you see a specific need out there that you think you can help fill, your efforts will be of value to someone.
"Setting", oil on panel, 16" x 12", 2022
AH: What is coming up for you that you’d like to spread the word about? Where are online places readers can learn more about you and your work?
RJ: I’ll be giving an artist talk on July 29 at Shockoe Artspace in Richmond, VA. My work can be seen on my website at www.racheljeffers.com and on Instagram @racheljeffersstudio. Passing Notes' website is www.wannapassnotes.com and our Instagram is @_passingnotes.
Thank you, Rachel, for taking the time to share about your work!
**All images courtesy/copyright the artist.**
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