Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Miller.
Hi Rachel, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I have spent my career working in creative fields but not immersing myself in the arts. I was born and raised in St Louis. I got my BFA in painting at Boston University in the mid-1980s when the emphasis on career and money influenced me to find a path that was more lucrative. I continued my education at The Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, where I became a women’s sportswear designer. My background in art helped me be successful as I worked as a designer for over ten years in NYC at major firms like Nautica and Liz Claiborne. I was able to travel with these companies to Hong Kong, China, and all over Asia and India, as well as to Europe. This exposed me to all kinds of inspiration.
In my early 30’s I made the decision to leave New York and take a job with May Co, back in St Louis. I was ready for the next stage of my life. And although the work was uninspiring, it led me to get married and have a family. Throughout my marriage, I continued to work in creative fields while I raised my two daughters; I hand-painted furniture and gifts and, after my divorce, started a jewelry company specializing in silver handmade jewelry and Judaica items. I showed at the New York’s Javis Center Gift Show to the wholesale trade. The jewelry business was hard and had a hard time balancing what I wanted to make creatively with what the market was willing to pay. Over the last ten years, I have been working days in Interior Decorating, as a freelance consultant and in retail settings. I currently love my job at Expressions Furniture in St Louis, which sells beautiful custom designer furniture. But all the while, I am a classically trained artist, and I had just abandoned all that after I left college. My youngest daughter, Tamara, who just graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design, was instrumental in encouraging me to take what I do all the time, which is draw, and put it out there. My kids introduced me to the power of social media like Instagram. I started posting my drawings of everyday life. I started experimenting with making art digital pieces. This led me to create drawings based on some recipes I was making, first with food… then with cocktails. All my design and art skills are used in these drawings. When I posted the cocktail recipes on my Instagram, I knew I had made something that was popular with so many people. So, I was challenged to make them into a book.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Once I returned to St Louis, I struggled to find a community of creatives. I was working in fashion, but the job was very technical. I was not seen as an Artist. I had a hard time finding my voice. It is something that I struggled with as a painter when I was younger. What did I really want to say and do with my work? Financially it was difficult to find support too. I was often asked to volunteer or donate my pieces, but as an Artist, it seemed unfair, as my income was so much less than other professionals.
When I decided to make the book, I had no idea how to do it. I had to figure out the whole process myself. I could not find an Agent or Publisher to represent me. I was told that although the work was excellent, I need to be a celebrity or have a large social media following.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I have created this book, The Illustrated Cocktail, and I am self-publishing it. I wrote and illustrated all of the 184 pages myself. The book is like no other. I call it an art piece disguised as a cocktail recipe book. It contains 64 classic cocktail recipes as well as bar tips and tricks. I am not a Cocktail expert, and anyway, there are many very excellent books on the subject of making drinks. This is a book that you will love to look through, display and give as a gift.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
The process of making the book is a big risk. Besides having to draw and create over 180 pages of content, I had to raise the funds in order to have the book printed the way I wanted. I had no idea how to do that. I read books, watched videos, and talked to anyone who offered advice. I did a lot of listening. Then I decided to launch a Kickstarter campaign to raise the funds. It was very hard, but I raised enough money to get the book printed. If you really believe in something, you will find a way to make it work, If you give up, it will never happen.
Pricing:
- The Illustrated Cocktail $54.99
- 20 x 26 print $100
- 18 x 24 print $80
- 12 coaster set $30
Contact Info:
- Email: rachelkm62@gmail.com
- Website: https://www.theillustratedcocktail.com
- Instagram: @theillustratedcocktail
Image Credits
Rachel K Miller
