Rachel Blackwell is a visual artist and writer who focuses on a mytho-poetic relationship with the more than human world. That is to say, she hangs out on an old stone humpback bridge that sits between the imaginal realm and the living world. A bridge that sometimes might have an undine chatting to a troll beneath it.

Rachel is influenced by Animist and Earth-based spiritualities, British folklore, and an eclectic mix of mythos, folklore and magic from across the globe.

The world she paints is called Ethereal Earth, you know the place. It’s the realm where the other world and this one meet.

She grew up regularly visiting the Pre-Raphaelite collection at Birmingham Museum and art Gallery with her grandad. Hearing the stories and seeing the imagery of mythic Britain deepened her already enchanted vision of a landscape where the ancient past is always present - Standing stones found scattered through fields, sacred wells in hidden corners, and secret groves with witch pools full of lost tales.

Rachel works from a studio at Wild Ways on the Borle, a retreat centre in 70 acres of semi-natural ancient woodland in Shropshire. Wild Ways is owned and run by Elaine and Garth. Elaine is custodian of the land and an artist. Elaine explores the stories and personalities of the beings of the land and Borle Brook (the brook that runs through the woodland) through drawing, writing, ceramics and photography. In the studio next door is Garth, a master craftsman cabinet maker and one of the biggest hearts Rachel has ever met. Wild Ways is frequented by free spirits and people of many spiritual paths, old and new from across the world.

Rachel Blackwell is deep in the process of creating a fairy tarot deck for US Games Inc.  A universe of Faery that brings her interest in psychology, animism and esoteric/occult together with her art practice. For a deeper dive into Rachel’s process with tarot you can visit her Substack Earth Dreaming.  

Ethereal Earth is also the name of Rachel’s Eco-Conscious design studio creating illustrated gifts and homeware based on her art.

 Commissioned Work

Rachel’s commissioned work includes Tinkerbell 50p medals for Great Ormond Street Hospital, murals for libraries, schools, businesses and homes, and a collaboration with Toyah Willcox amongst other projects.