FEATURED ARTIST

Artist SPOTLIGHT

RACHEL BRISBOIS

Local artists invigorate the community with thoughtful, creative pieces. Each issue, Starved Rock Country Magazine and Starved Rock Country Community Foundation are partnering to highlight artists and their work.

1 achel Brisbois may be relatively new to the Starved Rock Country arts scene, but she is no stranger to neither the area nor the arts. Brisbois has lived in Starved Rock Country nearly her whole life. To her, the area is “an excellent place for an artist to park their easel,” adding, “I recommend a visit in every season because the changing landscape promises a new adventure every time … The area never ceases to inspire my work and imagination.”

As a college student, she fits her artwork around her studies. Joining local art leagues has helped increase her exposure; for example, you can find her pieces on the Ottawa Art League gallery wall inside Jeremiah Joe’s. You can occasionally find her work at Open Space Art Gallery & Studio’s gallery shows as well as local art shows. “It has been an exciting journey, but it is still only beginning,” she notes.

She notices a connection between people and art, a relationship that changes over time. “Children are constantly testing and experimenting, and art happens to be the perfect tool to let them utilize their natural curiosity,” she says, adding she herself was drawn to art from an early age. “Finally, as we grow into adults, maintaining that creative process from childhood continues to be an outlet from stress and a healthy form of expression.”

Brisbois works mainly with acrylic and oil paint. Charcoal and graphite factor into her pieces, too. She describes her work as “an erratic mixture of impressionism, realism and surrealism.”

What is not erratic, though, is her unwavering belief in the ubiquity and importance of art.

“Everything you own is designed by an artist. It enriches our lives at every turn. It is omnipresent and often underappreciated,” she says. “Art is everywhere, on purpose, because it is such an integral part of the human experience.” C S R

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DETAILS OF RACHEL BRISBOIS’ WORK

To purchase or learn more about her creations, visit www.rachelbrisbois.com or her social media pages.

1. Day Comes Anyway: acrylic, 18x24, $185 2. Reflections: acrylic, 66x44, $1,500 3. Master Craftsman: charcoal, graphite and pastel, 16x20, $350

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Rachel Brisbois is a self-taught artist living in Wenona and attending college; she mainly uses acrylic, oil, charcoal and graphite. Learn more at www.rachelbrisbois.com.