We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Rachel Sutherland. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Rachel below.

Alright, Rachel thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I knew from a young age I wanted to own a creative services business. I dabbled in different mediums but was never able to pick ‘the one’. It wasn’t until 2021 when I had a major change that I knew my creative adventures needed to shift. I loved doing my art too much and had so many ideas to just have the finished projects sit around collecting dust. I have a huge imagination, drive and passion for all things handmade, and it seemed like a waste to not pursue my dream and share my work with others.

One day last year I was gifted a piece of artwork that encompassed flowers. A Lightbulb went off! I said to myself “This is my medium, I am in love!” I can be outside in nature, forage, and create pieces for others who want more tranquility and peace in their homes. My work involves foraging for botanicals, purchasing flowers, herbs and foliage and pressing and drying them. I then arrange on Frames for home décor, on Stationary for all occasions and also design Christmas Ornaments. The ideas keep flowing, and there is no limit to what I can design. I, therefore, decided to start taking custom designs, and memorial orders. There is something so special about collaborating with clients sharing in their memories. I am growing so much in just one year and people love the work I produce. I sell on Etsy, Bartram’s Gardens; America’s oldest preserved botanic garden in West Philadelphia, Alysian in HaddonField, New Jersey and Festivals. My goal is to start preserving flowers from weddings, sell on other online platforms, teach classes and get into more stores and boutiques.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I have been lucky to grow up in the most magical places; Laguna Beach and neighboring beach cities in California, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Vancouver, British Columbia. Being surrounded by this beauty is where I feel the calmest, and myself. I also loved creating art in all types of mediums ever since I was a kid. As an artist, it can be challenging to find ‘one’ medium to use, so I dabbled in many. I love the process of hand making anything and always wanted to start a business.

One day last year I was gifted a piece of artwork that encompassed flowers. A Lightbulb went off! I said to myself “This is my medium, I am in love!” I can be outside in nature, forage, and create pieces for others who want more tranquility and peace in their homes. My work involves foraging for botanicals, purchasing flowers, herbs and foliage and pressing and drying them. I then arrange on Frames for home décor, on Stationary for all occasions and also design Christmas Ornaments. The ideas keep flowing, and there is no limit to what I can design. I, therefore decided to start taking custom designs, and memorial orders. There is something so special about collaborating with clients sharing in their memories. I am growing so much in just one year and people love the work I produce. I sell on Etsy, Bartram’s Gardens; America’s oldest preserved botanic garden in West Philadelphia and Festivals. My goal is to start preserving flowers from weddings, sell on other online platforms, teach classes and get into more stores and boutiques.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

It is self-expression and research. I am able to be completely free when I create and design a piece. When an artist has an idea they can just go with it, speak with others about the idea, get their feedback, read a book or explore work others have done. There are so many resources and it is thrilling! Learning new processes and figuring out ‘how it works’ excites me. I love to collaborate with others to see what they are thinking.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I’ve always resonated with this quote: ‘To live a creative life, one must lose the fear of being wrong’ by Joseph Chilton Pearce. There are no mistakes in art. To be held back from thinking you are doing something wrong is crippling, and does not serve the creative process. Exploring new ideas and taking risks is what art is about. In college, a professor taught me to stop and walkway if you think you did not do something you intended. Most times when I came back to my work I noticed I had learned something new, or what I thought was a mistake was actually quite beautiful!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.pressedvibrations.com
• Instagram: @pressedvibrations
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552731508812

Image Credits

Photographer for some photos: Sharon Farnell