Rachel Benson | The Fiber Web
Rachel Benson is a fiber artist working primarily with needle felting, watercolor, and other media to create whimsical images of nature, both realistic and abstract. Art has always been a dominant focus in Rachel’s life, and from an early age it became clear that she would make it her career. Rachel studied Fine Arts and Technical Theater in college, and is currently a freelance artist, art teacher, and props master. She shares her love of art through teaching, freelancing in theaters, commissions, along with selling her work at craft fairs and galleries. She is currently represented by Fruitlands Museum Store, Handworks Gallery, Artists Corner & Gallery, Gallery 529, Periwinkle Glassworks and The Wooly Fox. Rachel is a member of the Princeton Arts Society and participates regularly in open and juried exhibitions in the Boston area.
Artist’s Statement
When creating my works of art, I often let my materials guide me. I choose a color or texture and let that lead the artistic process. Other times, I work from photographs I’ve taken or sketches I’ve done from the outdoors. I then turn those into fiber paintings, using needle felting, beads, fabrics, and watercolors to create a landscape with depth and texture.
I draw most of my inspiration from the details in nature. I’m captivated by the texture found on the bark of a tree or the patterns on a butterfly, the colors of leaves in fall, the flowers in spring. My art combines bits and pieces of nature that speak to me, with the addition of my own funky, whimsical twist, turning them into my own design. My work is very tactile, and I encourage the viewer to look closely and notice the subtle details within the piece. I work in many art forms, including fiber jewelry, weavings, fabric art, sculpture, and natural ornaments. The pieces are multidimensional, including a variety of textures, colors, lines, and shapes.
My art is always changing; each piece has its own personality, its own uniqueness, and its own story. My aim is to create something new, yet familiar, to shine new light on ordinary things. I want to generate curiosity and, most importantly, inspire imagination and a sense of wonderment.
Rachel’s website
Artist’s Statement
When creating my works of art, I often let my materials guide me. I choose a color or texture and let that lead the artistic process. Other times, I work from photographs I’ve taken or sketches I’ve done from the outdoors. I then turn those into fiber paintings, using needle felting, beads, fabrics, and watercolors to create a landscape with depth and texture.
I draw most of my inspiration from the details in nature. I’m captivated by the texture found on the bark of a tree or the patterns on a butterfly, the colors of leaves in fall, the flowers in spring. My art combines bits and pieces of nature that speak to me, with the addition of my own funky, whimsical twist, turning them into my own design. My work is very tactile, and I encourage the viewer to look closely and notice the subtle details within the piece. I work in many art forms, including fiber jewelry, weavings, fabric art, sculpture, and natural ornaments. The pieces are multidimensional, including a variety of textures, colors, lines, and shapes.
My art is always changing; each piece has its own personality, its own uniqueness, and its own story. My aim is to create something new, yet familiar, to shine new light on ordinary things. I want to generate curiosity and, most importantly, inspire imagination and a sense of wonderment.
Rachel’s website