Meeting with RACHEL BLAIRY a Portrait Artist

Where were you born?

I'm born in Livry-Gargan (93, France, Paris area) in 1979

Where do you live and work?

I'm currently living in Coulommiers (77, France, Paris Area)

How did you start painting?

I found my true passion for drawing when I was a little girl. Throughout the years I have tried different medium and charcoal remained my favorite for a long time.

My first realistic drawing was Bob Marley when I was 13. My first Acrylic Painting was a Snoop Dogg one in 2016 for his 45 years old.

Did you go to an art school?

No I'm a self-tough artist

What are the exhibition, highlights in your carer as an artist?

Beyond the exhibitions,

1) I made about fifty drawings for a french Art magazine "Dessiner" between 2007 and 2011. This magazine publishes drawing step by step in order to teach their readers how to draw and is distribued in all press shops across France. My art continues to be published regulary in their pages (to this day).

Since 2010, due to the development of social networks, I have had the chance to be noticed and thus to have collaborated with many structures:

2) exhibitions for associations ("Mômes du Monde": association for children: children's portrait exhibition, Paris; Cultural Service of the City Council of Achères France, Paris area: Exhibition of drawing during the slavery memory week in May 2011. Peyiz'Art: Caribbean association. Their goal is to promote all kind of artists at an event mixing concert and exhibition. I was invited to exhibit my drawings for their 3rd event in 2011 Paris, scène Bastille.)

3) Web-tv (Hitz'on): Creation of realistic portrait for the Caribbean web-tv show Hitz’on and their guests. Each charcoal drawing was delivered live during the artist’s interview as an original concept adding another artistic dimension to the set.

4) Ministry of french Overseas Departments and Territories: they commissioned me a drawing for there greeting cards 2013 to commemorate the centennial anniversary of the birth of Aimé Césaire (Césaire, who passed away in April 2008 at the age of 94, is widely hailed as a principal crusader for civil rights within the French West Indies, both through his writings and in his 55 years serving as the Mayor of Fort-de-France)

5) Merchandising for Snoop Dogg: Snoop Dogg asked me to get in touch with his manager via Instagram in order to participate to their worldwide project for merchandising gathering several artists from all over the globe .I was in charge of creating design and customizing multiple products such as T-shirts, backpacks, phone cases and more via the website westfestmall.skyou.com (today closed) . Snoop was responsible for their promotion on his social medias . Snoop is still following and supporting my artwork on Instagram.

6) Merchandising for E.Sy Kennenga: After 8 years of mutual support, we decided to partner up in order to create merchandising for his branding "Soldalanmou".

He called me to expand his collection with posters of himself and we are currently working on some designs and paintings for more merchandising.

7) My artwork is also often shared and praised by renowned artists of national and international on social media (like Snoop Dogg, Naomi Campbell, Omar Sy, Saïk, Booba, Taraji P.Henson, Shante Broadus (Snoop's Wife)

8) Successful Meetings: Ace Hood, Snoop Dogg, KrsOne, E.Sy Kennenga, Russ, Saïk, Ronny Turiaf, Kevin Hart

Rachel Blairy is having an exhibition coming up soon in Paris (February, 2019).

More info regarding the exhibition will follow.