2 April

Rachel Barlow, Rachel Barlow. Go To Your Self.

by Jon Katz
Joy, Joy
Joy, Joy

Rachel Barlow gave me one of the great gifts of my life today, she had her own show at the Arlington, Vt., library, and it was both crowded and successful. Rachel is one of the people I most admire and appreciate in the world, and one of the most courageous and talented.

She has been a student of mine in my blog and writing workshops for four or five years now, and she learns every day and every week and becomes more creative by the hour. When I met Rachel, she was hesitant and confused to even call herself a writer or illustrator.

She writes with great humor and compassion, and her watercolors are simply gorgeous and affirming. She can’t stop painting and sketching these days, she rides all over the country.

Racgek suffers from bi-polar disorder and depression, something she has written openly about. Sometimes, her depression was so paralyzing she could hardly paint or write. She has plenty of things to deal with still, some of them will always be present. But she has found her creative path, and it has steadied and uplifted her. She is riding a wave on it.

Rachel never stopped, listening, learning, searching. She started a successful blog, began writing, sketching and lately, doing beautiful and simple watercolors that are selling all over New York and Vermont and on her website, My Sketchy Life: The Art And Cartoons of Rachel Barlow.

She has never stopped coming to class. I feel sometimes as if  Rachel and I are growing up together.

Watching Rachel work, grow, learn and blossom has been as great a pleasure as any writer or teacher should have. The creative spark is fierce in her, and her goal is to eventually live and work full-time as an artist. If she keeps going like this, it won’t be long, Rachel has shows and appearances scheduled for months ahead. And people are loving her work and buying her work.

Rachel is a wonderful wife and mother and friend, there were long weeks when I didn’t see her smile, now she is smiling much of the time. It sounds strangely formal to say, but i am so proud of her, and so happy to share her wonderful afternoon with you. Lots of us struggle and suffer. Rachel reminds us to never give up. Go to yourself. Be fulfilled.

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