Rachel Castle
Artist + Designer
Sydney, Australia
Instagram: @rachelcastleandthings
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Crafting
My true life hobby is craft: making things from scratch, taking little bits of nothing and turning them into something you can keep—a drawing, a cushion, an embroidery, anything really. I will never get bored of making small things to give to my friends and family that I think they will like.
Creativity
I love to go off track. I get bored making the same thing over and over; I want to try new things, new techniques, new genres. True creativity for me is following your heart, even if it’s completely new to you and you fail miserably. You don’t know if it’s good until you try it!
Artistic Tools I Love
Oh, there are so many. My newest love is for acrylic gouache paint. It goes on like a gouache and dries like acrylic. All the prettiest colors and a beautiful matte satin finish—it’s love for me.
Beauty to Me
Beauty to me has to “sparkle.” My favorite people are the ones with a twinkle in their eye, who embrace life head on, who want to stay out all night dancing and talking, who tell a story full of details, who laugh loudly and often. I am drawn instantly to these sparkly people. Beautiful art and song and writing is always created by twinkly, sparkly people.
Self-Care + Wellness Essentials
Self-care and wellness for me is about rest. Sleeping in, listening to music, reading books, snoozing in the sunshine, cuddling my loved ones. Being present is not easy in these times where social media can sometimes invade our private times, but it is crucial to our well-being.
Best Business Advice I Received When Starting Out
Work with the best, and pay attention to their work practice—how to write emails, how to speak on the phone, how to listen and respond to your customers, your suppliers, your work colleagues. Be respectful and grateful for the learning experience.
Advice For Creatives and Entrepreneurs
Be inspired by others but always follow your own brush strokes. This is where and how you will make your best work, the work you will be most proud of because it is your voice, your message, your color, your true self.
How to Choose Art
Art for me is about falling in love. Not whether it will match, or whether it is popular, or whether it will be a good investment, it’s about finding a kindred spirit that speaks to your heart.
You Art Not Defined By Your Past
The greatest lesson I have learnt in life is to stay nimble. What is true today may not be tomorrow; you need to be ready in life to change direction, sometimes drastically, depending on what comes your way. We are not defined by our past, but only by the decisions we make going forward.
What I Wish I'd Known 15 Years Ago
That really in the end we are all here for a very short time. To be still and to listen and know that everything good and bad is all “doable” in the end. Not to rush, to take your time, to worry less about the end destination.
More Living With Less
Slow living to me means wanting less. When you want less you enjoy more. Sitting quietly with the sun on my face is my happiest, most peaceful self.
Great Life Advice
I try not to be too hard on myself, to try to celebrate my good bits and forgive myself the not-so-good! It’s a lifetime practice, but I try.
THE 411
Rachel’s paintings, screen prints and fabric embroideries pop with visual energy and color. Under her online brand CASTLE, Rachel also designs and manufactures her own bed linen and homeware range.