Today I would like to share with you a wonderful Portland-based artist and Etsy seller! As you know I am always a fan of artists who draw on art history for their inspiration. I was lucky enough to come across this one in between printing and obsessively checking my Etsy shop stats. And to add a cherry on top, she is from Portland!

Rachel Brand of WaningGibbousStudio sells hand-painted scarves inspired by architecture and architectural patterns.

Rachel has a Masters degree in Architecture and a career in architecture/interior design. Her inspiration comes from ancient ruins, traditional tile patterns, textiles, and many other architectural components that she has been exposed to through school and work. She translates her inspirations into silk paintings. Rachel describes her use of the medium:

I love making things myself and wanted to find a way to reproduce some of the beautiful motifs I have seen. I took a silk painting class and realized that it would be a good medium for my urges.

She produces her scarves by using a traditional resist painting technique. First she applies a “resist,” which forms a barrier that stops the flow of the dye. She then painstakingly applies a dye into the interstices to form the pattern.

You can see her whole process in this video:

My favorite piece of Rachel’s is the Machu Picchu scarf shown in the video. I absolutely love the idea of wearing an archeological site! Plus, from afar, it really just looks like a lovely pattern. Only you (and whoever you let in on the secret) will know what it really shows.

Rachel also has another store on Etsy, NouvelleLuneStudios, where she sells hand painted baby mobiles. Very Cute! I think her bridge mobile is particularly appealing for Portlandians:

Many thanks to Rachel for her lovely work! I do hope you will go and check out her other products!