Rachel Bertolini

Harrison Township MI

Gold Secrets, from Golden Works series
Mixed Media
Artist Statement
I daydream often. In fact, I probably daydream a little bit too much. My photography work is heavily based on the places my mind goes when I daydream. Sometimes I imagine dreamscapes while other times I create stories that draw from my memories: some from when I was much younger and some from recent, everyday happenings. I enjoy creating some sort of story with every image I make, whether it is vague and mysterious or sentimental and uplifting. Furthermore, I have always found it to be fascinating; the amount of control one has while creating an image. The absolute control allows me to turn my daydreams into small realities, whether I am making small sets, using odd items to create illusions, juxtaposing works at the Detroit Institute of Arts to create stories, or learning alternative processes to convey my messages and ideas in different ways. As an artist, there are so many ways to tell stories, and I never want to stop learning and creating.