We recently connected with Rachel O’Donnell and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Rachel, thanks for joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

One of the most meaningful projects I’ve worked on recently is my new book, The Illustrated Legend of Sleepy Hollow. This project has been swirling around in my head for years and I was finally able to complete it in 2023. The completion of this book also marks a triumph over the challenges I continue to face as an artist and the pressure we all feel to ‘be’ a certain way. In the art world, there can be pressure to only create work that is traditionally valued as being ‘important’ or ‘worthy’ and as a young child growing up in Texas, there was pressure to minimize my natural interests in things that were deemed ‘weird’. When I was conceptualizing this book and the 16 illustrations I painted for it, I kept thinking about how much I would have loved this book when I was growing up and that helped me to power through and continue working into the late hours of the night. I truly hope that this book finds the people who have always wanted something like this and appreciate this unique melding of classic literature, horror, and aesthetics. For kindred spirits who are interested in getting a copy of this hardcover book, head over to Amazon to buy my artist edition of Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. If you’re in the LA area, make sure to come by and say ‘hi’ at my book signing event on September 30th, 6-8 PM at The Trophy Room LA, 4134 Verdugo Road, Los Angeles, 90065.

Rachel, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I started my career in the arts in New York after graduating from Pratt Institute in 2013. I had the great fortune to show my work in the Seagram building and a few galleries in New York before moving across the country to Los Angeles in 2015, where I still reside and work as an artist. My work has always centered around themes of gender, old Hollywood, and the subversive themes explored in horror films and horror literature. Primarily working in collage and painting, I show my artwork regularly in galleries across the United States. I currently have a permanent 12-foot-tall mural of silent film actress, Anna May Wong, at the Chinese American Museum in Los Angeles that you can see year-round during museum hours. I’m very good at staying busy, so, be sure to check out my website and Instagram regularly to see what I’m up to!

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

One lesson that I had to unlearn was that there is a finite set of steps and rules you must follow in order to have a successful art career. During my time at art school, professors often made it seem that success as an artist came linearly. First, you do group shows, then win a grant or two, next was a highbrow fellowship and solo shows, and finally, your career would culminate in a museum retrospective. I don’t doubt that this may have been true during the majority of their art careers but now, social media, technology, and general shifts in the art world have made a career in the arts more unpredictable than ever. There is no one way to be a successful artist and, in some respects, that’s freeing. No longer is your career dependent on approval by institutional gatekeepers, you can forge your own path (if you’re brave enough). Of course, institutional approval will still help your career, but you can now find new independent ways to support yourself with a career in the arts.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

There are so many great free resources for those who are looking for support on their artistic journey! For artists based in LA, get on the ArtshareLA email list for artist opportunities and grants. On Instagram, follow accounts like @OpenCallForArtists and @Art_opportunities for open calls and requests for submissions. If you’re looking for affordable ways to advance your artistic knowledge, search for free or sliding scale life drawing sessions in your area (usually your local art supply store will know of one) and virtually check out books on Archive.org and your local library for $0. Also, most museums do free days for their main collection so be sure to Google ‘free museum days’ for your area, and remember, art galleries are almost always free!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.rachelodonnellart.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachelodonnell/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4-BhOJ3bi0AVGNI08XkQUA
• Other: https://www.amazon.com/Illustrated-Legend-Sleepy-Hollow/dp/B0CCZXQRM5

Image Credits
Yes all photos are taken by me of myself