By Candace Phillips
“While some people smoke and drink, I draw,” says artist Rachel Pollard, describing her passion for art.
Rachael recently generated much interest when she exhibited a collection of her pieces at the Umana Yana.
For the woman, who identifies her self firstly as teacher, drawing has always been in her blood. In an interview with The Scene, she told of developing an early love for drawing, which she attributes to her father’s profession.
She said her dad was a land surveyor with the Lands and Surveys Department and he would work on maps in her presence. However, she was more interested in his pens and imitating him and recalled occasions when she was scolded for interfering with his pens. She noted though that after some time, he recognised her interest and would allow her to complete bits of maps he was working on.
She said she makes use of every opportunity to draw and scribble, as she calls it. She describes her work as “ink on paper”. She uses pens in her pieces which she feels allows her to achieve greater detail and contrast. She does not believe she can affect this unique effect using brushes. Her work is inspired by anything – people, places and experiences.
Rachael attended the Bishops’ High School during the 1970s and attributes her
exposure to art classes there as the catalyst for her love for drawing. She recalls her art teacher Doris Rogers who encouraged her pursuits and in so doing opened a whole new world for her. She said she learnt much such as the softness of lines and realised that she really did not know much about drawing as she thought.
Rachael jokingly recalls not going to needlework class just so she could spend more time in the art room. After she was failed in both classes for non-attendance, she said she took needlework seriously.
After leaving high school, she briefly benefited from classes at the Art School (now Burrowes School of Art). She said that she was encouraged by a friend to enrol at the school but rebuffed the idea. Afterwards, she reconsidered and became a model at the school where she posed for the students. Mischievously she remembers crashing the art classes.
She said that it was her entry to these classes that made her realise that she knew nothing about art, that she was merely on the outskirts of something much bigger. While there, she met sculptor Philip Moore, who upon seeing her work, advised her to pay greater attention to detail. She said years later, she gets it and feels that she pays greater attention to detail in her pieces.
Rachael migrated to Italy in 1981 and enrolled in a university where she studied fine arts and history of arts. Once again, she was in awe of knowledge she was yet to acquire. Studying the history of art, allowed her an insight into a whole new world, where she learnt of historical and cultural influences on art.
She attributes this exposure to the heightening her appreciation for art and her realisation that she really knew nothing about drawing.
On her vacation breaks, she would use the opportunity to travel to different countries in Europe and in so doing be exposed to different cultures and influences. She said travels have greatly influenced several of her pieces.
Rachael said after she got married, she stopped drawing and focused on teaching. She taught Art and English at the university and at a private school. However, her interest in art never waivered, since she attended every exhibition she could and this kept her interest and love alive.
After several years, with a friend’s encouragement she started doing small pieces.
Her pieces were noticed by a jeweller and the two forged their talents and held an exhibition featuring her works. It was this exhibition that she credits with instilling her love for art.
She realised that her love lay with art and felt a strong desire to start drawing once again. She did so and has not looked back since. She said that while in Italy, she held exhibitions of her work often which saw many of her pieces being sold.
Being homesick, she returned to Guyana and held an exhibition at the Umana Yana which ran from June 23-25. She said she made great effort to create interest about the exhibition however on the first day, there was a paltry crowd.
However, on the remaining two days, attendance picked up. She was impressed by the persons who turned up and the feedback she received. After the event, she received numerous calls from persons who expressed their disappointment at not being able to view her pieces. In the light of this, she said she is scouting for a venue where she could hold another exhibition.
Rachael brings a new dimension to art in Guyana. Her pieces reflect a great attention to detail and an ability to capture the essence of her subject. With her love and flair for art, Guyanese can anticipate a good showing when Rachael hosts her second exhibition in the future.
