Rachel Kirk

rachelhallkirk.com

My drawing process is guided by inconsistency and imperfection, the very things that make me human. In order to develop a deeper understanding of the natural world, I visually engage with the patterns and textures that I find so mystifying through the act of copying and altering them. I begin by replicating a specific pattern or concept, employing a system of deliberate mark making that celebrates, and is usually guided by, the prospect of chance. The visual investigation and interpretation of what I examine in the natural world, rooted in replication and emulation, results in systematic deconstruction and reassembly. The act of voluntarily copying a pattern or texture and then changing it to make it uniquely my own is the ultimate exercise in seizing and maintaining control of my surroundings, on my own terms, which is something I often struggle to do in daily life in a world of constant stimulation and information overload.

Slap on a Smile and Call It Good
watercolor pencil on paper, 11 x 14 inches

Being for the Benefit of Mr. Fight-or-Flight
watercolor pencil, graphite, chalk pastel, acrylic on mylar, 40 x 54 inches

Cetological Heebie-Jeebies
watercolor pencil, ink, graphite, acrylic on paper, 11 x 14 inches