We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Rachael Short a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Rachael, thanks for joining us today. To kick things off, we’d love to hear about things you or your brand do that diverge from the industry standard.

I have a small photography gallery, Gallery Exposed in Carmel, California. I don’t run this gallery as a traditional gallery, I like to share the work of other local photographers from the area and use the space more as a cooperative space rather than a traditional gallery space. I want other photographers to be able to share their art with the public and I like creating a space for them to do that.

Rachael, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I had to re-define myself as a photographer after a car accident in 2010 left me a quadriplegic. Before my injury I shot film and enjoyed spending hours in the darkroom creating beautiful black-and-white prints. I now use the iPhone as my camera and create beautiful black-and-white prints once again. With help from friends, we make a digital negative from the iPhone image and then we make a Platinum print from that negative.
I was unable to lift the iPhone for over a year after my spinal cord injury or capture an image. Because of this my process has been simplified, and in a way this is making my images simpler, more pure and raw.  I capture what I see in my everyday life, the little things I used to walk by now draw me in.  My life has slowed down, this has changed what I see and how I see it. 
I’m proud that I have been able to continue my photography after my spinal cord injury and continue on with my art.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

For me, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist and a creative person is being able to share my vision with others and open up people’s eyes to something they may not have seen before. After becoming a quadriplegic, I also have found that it’s rewarding to show that I can continue my artwork despite my disability. There is always a way to continue your passion, it just might not be the way that you thought it would be.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

The term starving or struggling artist is real. We don’t get into art for the money. There’s something inside us that needs to be released and shared with others. My photography and my art feed my soul. It allows me to express myself and share my vision. It is my therapy. If you aren’t enjoying what you are doing with your life, it will be very hard to ever feel fulfilled. This doesn’t mean that you can’t have a job that pays the bills and also be a creative. You can do both. I encourage anyone who wants to get into the arts or be a creative to do so, don’t let the “box” hold you back.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.rachaelshort.com www.galleryexposed.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/rachshort https://instagram.com/galleryexposd
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rachshortphoto/

Image Credits

Photographs by Rachael Short