I met Rachel Merrill at a Drawing and Pizza Party down in Brooklyn last year. We hit it off talking about our favorite podcasts that we listen to while drawing. (She’s a fan of Serial). Rachel captures the obscurity and oddity of the cultures in Queens and Brooklyn with her wild and wonderful artworks.
Why did you start this
I’ve been drawing since I was 12, and working constantly creates its own opportunities through perseverance and luck.
Did you have to give anything
Financial security? Though that shouldn’t be mutually exclusive, it is something I am still attempting to figure out. I would love a nice reasonable day job I could excel at.
Besides this, what is another
Fashion/style for sure. As an industry its something I am very wary of and yet I keep getting drawn in. I feel lucky to meet some other nerds who can talk about it without mentioning crap like weight loss or insane consumerism.
I really just like to get dusty old dresses and making giant knitted monstrosities.
Morning Routine:
Podcasts, coffee, and procrastination. Step and repeat.
Dream Tattoo:
Heart on my ass.
Last Great Book I Read:
Dear Nobody, The True Diary of Mary Rose. Devastating but incredible, it was about a girl in rural PA battling addiction and cystic fibrosis.
She has these amazing lines like “Sexism pisses me off. Whenever a guy burps I just want to stick a tampon in his fucking mouth.”
My Dream Collaboration:
UGH too many. I’d kill to work with several of my favorite long form writers like Alice Gregory, Durga Chew-Bose, and Molly Young.
Favorite Comedians:
George Carlin, for showcasing renounced Catholic rage and neuroticism.
Favorite Song of All Time:
Favorite song of the year is King Kuta by Kendrick Lamar without question.
Longest running favorite song is After Hours by the Velvet Underground. Singing along since 2006.
You can find more of Rachel’s work at
Tumblr:
processideas.tumblr.com
dartedline.tumblr.com
Instagram:
@ohhhaeee
Inprnt:
inprnt.com/gallery/merrillrach/
