ARTIST STATEMENT
Slow and deliberate living is not something I practice regularly, although I know I need to. Like so many other artists, I over-fill my plate and often reach my capacity emotionally, physically, and creatively. The pandemic has given me space to look inward, reflect, and consider priorities in life. Slowing down and saying no are two things I am actively working to incorporate into my daily practice and vocabulary. I am most “present” when I am creating. The act of using my hands to make something new allows me to ground myself in reality and ultimately slow down. I enter a “non-thinking” space and let myself forget about all of life’s worries; giving myself permission to experiment. These pieces were created during moments of quiet solitude during the pandemic when I was completely at peace and in the moment. They are reflective of my interest in experimentation and intuitive mark-making. The small paintings were inspired by forms and colors I saw in dreams. The act of creating, for me, is an act of slowing down.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Rachel Hausmann-Schall is a born and raised midwestern artist, writer and educator living near Milwaukee, WI. She received her BFA in Integrated Studio Arts from the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) in 2015 and became co-founder and co-director of the artist collective After School Special (2015-2018). She exhibits work regularly at gallery spaces in Milwaukee, including solo exhibitions at Chamber (2016) and The Real Tinsel (2021). Rachel Hausmann Schall has shown nationally at Lease Agreement (Lubbock, TX), Project 1612 (Peoria, IL), and the DeVos Art Museum (Marquette, MI). She was recognized as an emerging artist finalist for the Mary L. Nohl Fellowship in 2016 and completed an artist residency at the Vermont Studio Center in Johnson, VT in 2019. Her work takes shape in many forms, although currently, she is interested in exploring text, language, and mark-making through written and visual mediums like collage, painting, sculpture, and printmaking. Hausmann Schall is also co-organizer of The Grilled Cheese Grant, an emerging artist grant and exhibition program. In addition to her practice as an artist, Rachel is a contributing writer for both the Chicago-based arts publication Sixty Inches From Center and the Wisconsin-based publication Artdose Magazine. Her written pieces highlight the work of underrepresented artists, galleries, and arts related projects in the Midwest.
© Rachel Hausmann-Schall