CLAIRE OUCHI AND RACHEL RIVERA OF WKNDRS TALK #CHROMAontheRise
Claire Ouchi and Rachel Rivera are a multidisciplinary artistic duo specializing in creating collaborative experiences within the community, and co-founders of WKNDRS — an artistic and diverse lifestyle brand that creates interactive murals, art shows, and markets featuring local artists and designers; supports and raises awareness for up and coming talent in the city; and creates light-hearted products fuelled by their passion for art and design. They love to question and push the boundaries of where art can be created and seen — everything is a canvas. Their goal as creatives is to connect the community through artistic endeavours that make art and design accessible to all. Which makes them the perfect match for #CHROMAontheRise!
Together, Claire and Rachel created Palm Dreams, a lush and vibrant mural with pops of joyous colour and neon accents that create a tropical escape within an urban space. Keep reading to learn more.
Can you tell us more about your artistic practices and how they’ve evolved over time?
We are two artists that work collaboratively together on numerous projects, as well as create our own individual art. Through our collaborative works, we create concepts and execute them to fruition. Over time, we’ve evolved to the level where we don't hesitate on outlandish ideas, whatever we choose to create, we do so with great excitement and energy.
What inspires your work?
We enjoy a mix of contemporary artists and fashion designers and are also inspired by travel, nature, and different experiences.
You both studied visual communications at the Alberta University of the Arts — what are the biggest takeaways from your time there?
The university was a great environment to learn and work with like-minded individuals and peers. We really felt like we found our people there, and it was a great place to explore our creative ideas while learning the technical side of it (graphic design, etc.)
Can you walk us through the process of creating your mural for Chroma on the Rise?
We knew we wanted to create a bright, fun, and optimistic piece both in content and colour. That is something that is prevalent throughout our work as WKNDRS. Our inspiration was hot summer nights, cool poolside days, and neon palm dreams. We started with a variety of sketches and layouts, and once we decided what we wanted to create, we started to sketch it out on the walls and then began painting away!
Have you created artwork on this large of a scale before? Did the process differ from your other projects?
We’ve had the opportunity to create large scale mural pieces in the past, but this was our first time creating an interactive multiple-room immersive mural. It was such a great experience, trying to figure out how each room would tie in together, with the walls, floors, and climbing bricks!
What else did you learn from your COTR experience, and how important are opportunities like this for artists?
For this scale of a mural, planning is essential when it comes to painting, tools, brushes, and rollers. It’s also important to time your paint days, and have tons of fun! These opportunities are integral to artists as it’s a space to showcase their work and allow guests to enjoy themselves as well.
What advice do you have for emerging artists trying to develop their own unique style and pursue a professional career as a creative?
All we can say is keep on creating. Do exactly what you want to do. Hustle hard. What you show on social media and to the world is just the tip of the iceberg. All the hard work is 90% behind the scenes, whether that’s getting inspired in the world, honing in on your craft, contacting peers and potential clients, and just working your butt off. It’s worth it.
How are you staying creative and inspired during COVID-19? Do you think the way people perceive or consume art will change?
We’re all doing our best at this time and staying creative has definitely started to look a little different than working side by side together in our joint studio. Making recipes at home, working on some paintings, and taking photos has been a great way to stay creative. There’s definitely been a shift in how art has been viewed during this time. Galleries are showcasing online tours and hosting live art show openings and artist Q&A’s. In a way, there’s something very intimate about this where you as the viewer are more immersed with the artwork.
We’ve also soft-launched our latest endeavour — a curated online shop called SLOWWAVY, housed with independent makers and brands from all over the world. We are so happy we can support artists during this time and onwards! Check it out at SLOWWAVY.COM
STAY CONNECTED
Download the Chroma on the Rise Activity Book here