Meet Rae Samuels | Mixed Media artist & Paper maker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rae Samuels and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rae, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I am a daughter of an artist and I have loved art since I was a young child. Making art has always been a way to express myself , document my life journey , and make new memories.. Being able to teach others that that can make art while also still being able to create everyday is truly a dream and I love helping others discover that they too can do anything that they put their mind to. After pursuing many different roads I always come back to making art. It is what feels like home.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My art is something that I really feel like I deeply connect to. I make handmade paper from all recycled or thrifted items that I spend time looking for and collecting. I also love creating journals from my handmade paper as well as making paintings on them as well. I love being able to work in various forms of media and that is truly what brings me the most joy. It allows me to constantly create without barriers. This also really allows me to be full to the brim with creativity and I’m so thankful to have that in my art. I’m so excited to see how I can continue to expand in the types of materials I use to continue to create more art. I believe I got to where I am today by purely and truly believing in myself and my talent. Up until a few years ago art was always something that I didn’t pursue fully and wholeheartedly because I believed that there was something else I should be doing. Each time I’ve ever tried another route and found myself disinterested or not fully into it art has always helped to heal me and propel me forward. It truly is such a healing thing in this world. A lesson I would say I’ve learned is to know my worth and cherish my uniqueness in this big world. Being true to myself and acknowledging that this is my experience that I’m having and that everything I experience is just for me and me alone. Most importantly to be grateful for my journey every single step of the way. I would want the world to know that I have so much to offer in so many different forms and to stay tuned!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If I was to take a friend around to my city I would definitely pick up some delicious sushi and bubble tea and then directly head to nature. I love this park near me with a huge LAKE with a fountain in the middle. There are trails that surround the lake as well as rolling hills of grass. Herons and other types of birds surround the lake and it’s honestly picture perfect. I’d set up a nice picnic there and catch up and talk about life and of course bring some paint sets and brushes and paper and recreate some of the beauty surrounding us.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would love to dedicate this shoutout to my loving boyfriend. He has really been the driving force of encouragement in my life in everything I do but most importantly in pursuing my art. I met him around the time that I discovered my father was sick with cancer. During that time and after my father passed art was a healing practice for me. He has always seen and pushed me to continue all of my types of art because he could see the peace it brought me. Each and everyday he reminds me that I am capable of anything I want to accomplish and that my art and the things that I made need to be shared and seen with the world. I am so grateful to have him in my life.

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