Rachel Wilkins, the artist behind our LGBTQ+ Power Players cover art, graciously joined us for a discussion about her career, the intention behind her work, and her perspective on the power of art as agitator. Rachel’s creative process has evolved over the past 20 years, from a more intuitive and free-flowing approach to one with more structure. Both of these influences can be seen in her series ‘Shoulders of Giants,’ which honors and commemorates LGBTQ+ activists and icons.
Her time as an artist has also seen her move into the role of mentor. Rachel co-founded Conception Arts in 2011 to provide resources and guidance to a community of artists looking to exhibit their work and build relationships. Such relationships, and the accompanying sense of collective struggle, gesture to the power that art possesses to agitate: to inspire resistance, rebellion, and revolution.
You can find Rachel on her website https://rachel-wilkins.com/ and on Instagram @artistrachelwilkins
