artists statement

My practice centers around surrealist and abstract oil paintings, containing a slowly evolving series of characters and symbols moving between interior and exterior worlds. Broadly autobiographical, the symbols are inspired by my domestic space and a formative interest in wiccan and pagan imagery. The symbols change in their hierarchical position as they move through differently stylized painterly scenes in an otherworldly or dreamlike manner. The work suggests a gentle oddness, without insisting on the strangeness of itself.

The imagery sits in conversation with the surrealist worlds of Dorothea Tanning, Rene Magritte and Joan Miró. When shown as a collection the audience is invited to story-tell, by creating their own inner-narrative as they move between the artworks.

BIOGRAPHY

Rachel L Bedder (b. 1991, Norwich UK) is a visual artist working in primarily in oil painting, and less frequently analogue photography and fiber arts. She is drawn to particular organic and inorganic objects which become characters throughout her artworks, including fish, a moka pot, her cats and the moon. Originally hoping to be an art therapist, Rachel undertook an undergraduate degree in Art & Psychology at the Reading School of Art, before pursuing a doctorate in cognitive psychologist at UCL, and later returning to her love of painting during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in London. For several years she was the scientific curator & co-director of AXNS Collective, a group of young professionals developing programming and commisioning artwork to engage the public with science, working with Science Museum, London, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford and Kings College London. She is also a passionate about education for all, and has held adjunct faculty positions at Bard Microcollege at Brooklyn Public Library, and at Raritan Valley Community College at East Jersey State Prison. Rachel lives and works in in Jersey City (NJ) & NYC (NY).