Most people, when asked about their proudest accomplishments, don’t usually respond with, “the moment I quit my job.” But Rachel Austin isn’t most people. The self-taught Oregon native stumbled upon her passion while working at a local art supply store, and in her mid-twenties, left to paint full-time, heading into the unknown and fascinating world of art.

While at the paint store, Austin was surrounded by all she needed to learn the intricacies of oils and watercolors, and began to create her own work. She even sold her first painting out of the window at that very same art supply store! In her excitement at making her first sale, Austin also accidentally gave the customer the wrong painting. But that’s a story for another day.

Fast forward four years, hundreds of paintings and several sleepless nights, and Austin is rocking galleries around the country with her fabulous collections. With three main genres, one thing this designer surely doesn’t lack is inspiration. Her main focus is her experimental oil series: simple, abstract lanterns offset by bold and bright colors, painted upon textured wood panels.

Her aerial farm collection came to her during an airplane flight when she saw mysterious crop circles on the land below. Intrigued by the beautiful formations, Austin used watercolors to abstract shapes and grids, producing pieces that, quite literally, are out of this world.

Austin’s most intriguing artwork is her map series, in which she uses oils to paint unusual objects like birds or blimps over old maps she’s picked up along the way—anywhere from libraries to thrift stores.

 

“I think people are drawn to my work for a couple of reasons. The first being the images –sweet little glimpses into calm moments or bold colors and shapes– are things that we can all easily relate to.”

Relate to, we most certainly can. With pieces small and large, Austin’s collection ranges from $55 to $2,000, and is sure to please any type of palate – and budget, at that.

Having recently pulled her husband, Jon, into the mix to handle the business side of things, Austin spends most of her time painting or making clothes for the baby girl she’s expecting in August. It’s her husband who she credits for encouraging her to step into artistry full time.

“When I look back, I’m doing something I never would have imagined possible and feel really blessed that I can be doing something that I love for a living,” said Austin. “We are really happy to be working together at something we both love. We feel very lucky.”

But luck only took her so far. Austin believes her perseverance and endurance got her to where she is today. She advises other die-hard artists to stay at it, too.

“Make sure you really love what you do and be ready to work really hard to make it happen. Find out about events and art shows in your area, and get connected to other artists,” but her most important advice goes beyond being successful, “Create what you really love rather than what you think will sell – you’ll be much happier!”

While Austin continues to create what she loves (we love it, too!), be sure to keep an eye out for her upcoming projects, including a lovely little collection of papercuts that stemmed from her mixed media paintings. In the meantime, check out what she’s got going now at: http://seekingdesigners.com/RachelAustin/