Michael Robinson, Gleaner Writer

Rachel Wade

At 26 years old, Rachel Wade is already four years into her professional career. Formally trained in two-dimensional animation, Rachel is an illustrator, graphic designer and painter.

As a graphic designer, she designs publications like corporate brochures and annual reports. As an illustrator, she has worked on several children's books. As a painter, she was awarded a gold medal by the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission the first year she entered its annual competition in 2006.

In a time when many believe that the pursuit of art is a non-profitable enterprise, Rachel believes otherwise. "I think you can work in a field that allows you to be creative and do what you like to do," she opines. "You just have to be creative about finding out what that is."

Her paintings take a sober naturalistic approach with a palette rich in earth tones. In pieces like 'Fire Flight', her natural drawing ability lends a graphic quality to Wade's renderings. Her illustrations have a gestural charm and an expressive freedom probably due to the fact that she's been drawing all her life. "I grew up drawing," she offers. "It was something I was always doing." slight preference

Sunday's Best

Asked to compare illustration and painting, Wade admits to a slight preference. "I enjoy both," she says, "but I think illustration comes more naturally to me." Painting, she explains, carries more complex considerations. The basic principles of design are the same, but having to think about the formal aspects of painting probably placed a slight constraint on the expressive nature of those pieces.

In Wade's newer paintings, however, she seems to have made a breakthrough.

'In A Different World' and 'Sunday's Best' contain a fusion of the young artist's abilities. Her introduction of spattered ink (she usually paints with acrylics) and a looser drawing style bring Wade the painter and Wade the illustrator into a creative space where the strength of the work is undeniable.

Inspired by people-watching

Imagination Poster -Contributed

Having graduated from the former Surrey Institute of Art and Design (now the University College for the Creative Arts at Canterbury, Epsom, Farnham, Maidstone & Rochester), in 2004, Rachel came to Jamaica where she gets her inspiration from people-watching. "People give me a lot of ideas," she says, "especially their body language and expressions. And I love our culture, so just watching kids walk home from school - things that are quaintly Jamaican inspire me."

Growing up as the daughter of a formally trained painter, Rachel was always encouraged to hone in on her talents. Her mother, Heather Sutherland Wade, has always been a source of creative guidance for Rachel. The two also work together at Heather's design firm, Sutherland Wade Associates.

A passion for art fuels a drive to spread the knowledge. Rachel spends time tutoring kids in art up to the high-school level. This summer, she will be coordinating an 'art camp' for children between five and 16 years old.

Ward believes Jamaicans have a lot of talent despite the lack of opportunity and resources. Her advice to kids who have the creative spark is, "keep drawing and keep doing art. You just need business sense to figure out how to still survive doing it".