Rachael Sarra is a contemporary Aboriginal artist from Goreng Goreng Country, who uses her amazing artwork to educate others about her culture and it's evolution. She joins us on MCTV to share some of her handy tips and a super easy DIY you can do at home.
Where can you check out her art? Great question.
Click here to shop.
Tell us a bit about yourself – how did you discover your passion for art?
Art for me was really about a way for me to disconnect from the world around me separate myself from from the emotions I was feeling so I could reflect and process those emotions. Art has always appealed to me because we can be unique in our thinking and often challenge what is considered normal. I always loved the fact that you didn't have to get a correct answer, through the same process like you do with other industries. It can be your own little world.
Now for the important question, what is your favourite colour? Why?
Pink!!!! and Orange. But mostly pink. I love understanding the psychology of colours. Pink is a very calming and nurturing colour. Some brighter pinks are also stimulating. So for me, my use of colour is to invoke certain emotions of feelings towards certain situations.
What’s your life mantra?
I think it might be censored but my great Aunt who was a strong independent woman used to say "F**K em in, and F**k em out" We still don't really know exactly what she meant by it but have found it relates to a lot of situations. Basically for me it's like "wing it" or "prove them wrong" or basically I took it as whatever the situation you were thrown just it'd be what it needs to be.
Dial up the tunes... name an album or musician you love to listen to when you’re working in the art studio?
Okay, RiRi for suuuure! But it depends on what type of work I'm doing. Anything from strong females Taylor Swift, Dua Lipa, Thelma Plum, Noah and Miley Cyrus to the Badapples crew, all the rad First Nations artists we have here.
What’s your favourite piece that you’ve done?
Everytime I do something new and cool I'm like okay sick, time to retire because it won't get cooler than this. And then I have more opportunites to work with rad people. So for now it's probably the big mural I did in Ipswich with Gus Eagleton because it was really out of my comfort zone and something I didn't think I could actually do.
Who are some of the artists that you look up to?
I've always loved Andy Warhol. I think his colour really drew me in and then you get to know his methodologies. My good friend Jenna Lee who is an incredible artist. I really love the work she is doing. She has such a powerful mind and her work is always filled with a few subtle but strong uppercuts.
What inspires your creativity?
What's happening around me. The people, the places, the experiences, the hardships and the injustices. But it's a balancing act because all of those things can also send me into to dark, stagnant hole of mental, physical and cultural fatigue.
Your favourite Melbourne hangout that you can’t wait to visit?
I am dying to go to the Pink Restaurant for obvious reasons. And every time I'm in Melbourne I always have to go to the NGV.
