<![CDATA[Racquel Keller - Creative Juice]]>

<![CDATA[Racquel Keller - Creative Juice]]>Thu, 12 Mar 2026 21:26:06 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[Randomly Timed Newsletter]]>Wed, 21 Jan 2026 00:53:17 GMThttps://www.racquelkeller.com/creative-juice/randomly-timed-newsletter

Surprise!

I have finally actually written a newsletter!

Happy New Year!

It is finally here! My first newsletter! It is highly unlikely that this newsletter will come out weekly. It will probably more likely come out somewhere between monthly or quarterly, or just randomly when I feel like I have something new to say. But today I wanted to share a few updates from the studio, a look ahead at upcoming travels and exhibitions, and a handful of things currently keeping me company.

Upcoming Travels — Join Me and my fabulous friend & fellow artist Wendy
I’ll soon be traveling to France & Italy to run art retreats with my amazing artist friend Wendy.

France, May 2026
Looking for a little joie de vivre? Join us from May 8th to May 14th, 2026 in lovely rural SW France just outside the town of Marciac (internationally known for its jazz festival held each summer.) We have carefully crafted and curated this experience to deliver a balance of morning workshops, ample time to explore your creative endeavors, as well as excursions to drink in the culture of the surrounding countryside. If this year is anything like last year, it will prove to be an amazing experience for all of us!

Italy, October 2026

We had such a wonderful time in France in 2025 that we decided to add a trip to Italy this year. From October 12th to 18th, 2026 we will be living la dolce vita in the stunning 18th century Villa Febea, reached by a cypress-lined drive. So, escape with us to the rolling hills of Tuscany for an unforgettable retreat designed to inspire your creativity and nourish your soul. Immerse yourself in art, history, cuisine, and the beauty of Italy.

All levels of artists are welcome. We would love to have you join us!

Here is a link to more information on both retreats. If you’re interested in joining, you can reply to this email and I will send you details on how to secure your spot. And please feel free to reach out with any questions — I’m happy to share more details.

In the Studio
I’m currently working on a series of small works I am calling “Short Stories.” Much of my process right now feels slow and exploratory — spending time with all the little pieces of vintage and contemporary bits and bobs floating around on my desk. One of my favorite things about making collage is that it allows the work to unfold gradually. I enjoy the moments where just the right pieces fall into place…it is like a little magic! I really enjoy these small works because it feels a bit like having a quiet conversation with a friend. The piece on the right is one of my recent short stories. It is called “Bebe always preferred tea” and measures about 5x7 inches.

A Note on Process
One thing that is a big part of my studio practice are sticky notes. I use them all the time. They help me capture all the little thoughts that flit through my brain. I literally can no longer function without them. I discovered this when I was at Chateau Orquevaux a couple of years back. I had made the decision not to pack sticky notes because I could buy them there. It wouldn’t have been a problem except that I came down with a nasty cold and couldn’t get out to buy them. I got into my studio and was completely stuck. If you have ever lost your phone, you will understand the sense of panic that gripped me. I was genuinely taken aback by the visceral reaction I had. Luckily, Beulah is always prepared for even the strangest emergency (if you know, you know :) and quickly delivered me a batch of notes. I genuinely felt as if she saved my life. So, now sticky notes go wherever I go. I have a packing list for travel and sticky notes have been moved to the critical section along with my passport and meds :)

Current & Upcoming Exhibitions

The 37th Annual Prince George's County Juried Exhibition
I finished out 2025 with a group show at Montpelier Arts Center. The 37th Annual Prince George’s County Juried Exhibition drew on the vast corps of visual artists who live, work, attend college, or maintain a studio in Prince George’s County. The exhibition was designed to foster an inclusive, community spirit among the participating artists and showcase their varied talents, skills, and diverse media uses. My work “Pandora’s Box II”, an assemblage with video created using snippets culled from the news, was selected for this show.

Annual Prince George's County Exhibition
I’m excited to share that my work "Albert Was Blissfully Unaware of His Imminent Demise" has been selected for Re/Generations: The Annual Prince George's County Exhibition at the Lowe House Office Building in Annapolis, MD! It will be on loan for the next few months.

Learning Something New

I have always been curious. I love to take things apart and figure out how they work...always have. Over the last few years I have been experimenting with more video in my work. It has been a bit of a full circle moment because my first attempt at a college degree was for photography (more on that another time.) I take videos all the time with my phone and have been doing so for ages. So, it is really lovely to be able to use some of these really quiet magical moments in my work. I was at a residency in Italy this summer and was encouraged to use AI to animate my collages. I have been wanting to make them move for a while, which is evidenced by my kinetic sculptures. But I really have no desire to give my work to AI. Sure, it would be faster. But really the joy for me is figuring out how to do things. So, when I saw the Kolaj Institute's Collage on Screen Artist Residency for 2025, I immediately applied and was thrilled to be accepted. Working on my piece has been one delightful barefoot uphill in the snow slog. It has been filled with trials and tribulations but when it finally works, you would think I would have won the lottery. For those of you who have been in one of my classes, you know I will never let an inanimate object or bit of technology win :) I am looking forward to sharing my work when it is done.

What I’m Listening To
As an artist, hunting and gathering is a big part of my creative process which is a bit of a double edged sword for someone who sees potential in pretty much everything they lay eyes on. But the reality is, one can collect too much which means I need to get rid of some things which is not my strong suit. But I have been practicing that muscle and am calling the whole process The Shawshank Method :) So, in the studio, I’ve been listening to a lot of podcasts and audio books about habits and organization. I’ve been working to streamline the spaces I live my life in, whether it is in my studio or at home.

This episode of Discipline Expert is a good listen.

One of my current favorite audio books is “Nobody Wants Your Sh*t: The Art of Decluttering Before You Die.” I listen to it while I organize and declutter. It kind of makes it feel like a have a very funny, friendly but logical coach talking to me the whole time I am working and I literally laugh out loud every time she says “Nobody wants your sh*t.”

Something New
Recently, I came across the book “How Painting Happens (and why it matters)” by Martin Gayford. I have heard great things about it and am looking forward to digging in! If you read it, I would love to hear what you think!

With Thanks
If I haven’t said it before, please accept a heartfelt thank you to collectors and supporters who have welcomed my work into their lives. Your belief in what I’m making allows me to continue this practice, and I’m deeply grateful.

]]><![CDATA[Blind Date with Mehretu]]>Mon, 20 Jan 2020 22:55:26 GMThttps://www.racquelkeller.com/creative-juice/blind-date-with-mehretuI was recently in Los Angeles for business retreat and went a couple days early to have the time to go visit some museums. Before I went, I didn’t look at what was on exhibit or plan on what to see. I simply wanted to look at art and wanted to be open to the possibilities. So, I booked a hotel within walking distance to LACMA. So, I have to do a little shout out to Hotel Wilshire! They have a lovey happy hour every day for guests and a fabulous rooftop restaurant where I had what was possibly the best cheeseburger of my life. But I am now off topic...

Urban Light, 2008 by Chris Burden

Upon arriving at LACMA I discovered that the original permanent collection galleries were closed in preparation for the upcoming construction of their new building, the David Geffen Galleries (set to open in 2024). But hey, that is what happens when you don’t look at the website...you tend to get redirected. So, off I went to the Broad Contemporary Art Museum.

Now, I must tell you something. I have always had a complicated relationship with Modern Art. It requires me to slow down and really look to understand what is going on. It is harder for me to digest than straightforward narrative art (think Rothko vs. Van Gogh.) It tends to make my head hurt like wearing a hat that is a couple sizes too small. But it also tends to expand how I think, so I put myself through the discomfort.

So, imagine my suffering when I entered the Julie Mehretu exhibit! When I first walked in I was definitely not in love. It was like being set up on a blind date and showing up to the restaurant only to realize that your date doesn’t quite measure up to what you had imagined. But you sit down anyway because you are a pretty decent human being and you trust your friend had some good reason for setting the two of you up. Who knows...maybe you will find them interesting.

As I walked through the exhibit, the explanations of the work were critical to really helping me get to know my her. They answered the questions about the way she works and how she thinks. It was a good conversation. The depth in her earlier paintings is rich and almost fathomless. They are built up through layers of lines, shapes and colors of varying weights. It is sort of like you are looking through layers of sediment on an archaeological dig but those layers of sediment are clear and you are standing on top of them, looking down.

Sketch of Epigraph, Damascus. Click the link to see the real thing.

There is one piece Epigraph, Damascus that is made up of six panels which has layers of different types of printmaking. It is enormous and makes a big impact from a distance. I fear that I was more impressed with the technique, the size of it and its presentation rather than the content. Or is it the content that makes me uncomfortable? That as I get closer to the piece and read what it represents, it becomes more personal?

Sketch of Being Higher I. Click the link on the right to the real thing and read more about it.

But it was the black and white work that really resonated with me. It is a real departure from her earlier work. It is just simply more emotive than the cold impersonal touch in her earlier pieces. Being Higher I is a dance of light and dark. This work really has Mehretu’s hand in it and it really is like she is finally trusting you with seeing her. It is like dark chocolate - a little bit sweet and also a little bit bitter. But that little taste of bitter makes the sweetness so much more potent.

I am still not in love but I am just intrigued enough to go on a second date.

]]><![CDATA[A Weirdly Odd & Unforeseen By-Product of Chateau Orquevaux]]>Sat, 05 Jan 2019 21:02:56 GMThttps://www.racquelkeller.com/creative-juice/a-weirdly-odd-unforeseen-by-product-of-chateau-orquevaux

Put all my MSDS forms in one place. And yes, they actually opened it and looked inside because they were out in the suitcase when I opened my bag.

So, I am a bit of a planner. For a long time I thought I was one of those really relaxed type B kind of personalities. That is until one day I had my sense of self shaken to the core. Flashback a decade or so ago when my life was that of a law firm manager who ran from meeting to meeting. I was sitting in a meeting and somehow the conversation turned to "Are you a Type A or a Type B?" Without hesitation I said "I am totally Type B!" One of the partners at the firm looked at me and laughed. I looked at him quizzically (truthfully, my head was probably cocked to the side like a dog hearing a high pitched noise) and asked why he laughed. He responded with "Racquel...you are absolutely the least Type B person I know." And the whole room laughed and shook their heads in agreement. I couldn't help but laugh. But I thought "What the hell are they talking about?"
So, now I will show you a few pictures of how I planned for my Artist Residency and you can tell me whether you think I am Type A or Type B :)

Peer into the contents of my suitcase. Yes, those are sticky notes!

Yeah, this is just a snippet of my planning list!

Click here to get the whole
Artist Travel Packing List in .pdf form.

]]><![CDATA[Journaling Through the Journey]]>Fri, 23 Nov 2018 22:40:38 GMThttps://www.racquelkeller.com/creative-juice/journaling-through-the-journey

Documenting my experience was one of tbe things I wanted to do during my artist residency at Chateau Orquevaux. At my home studio in Maryland, I try to start and end every day in the studio with a little journal writing. I have found in the morning it helps clear the cobwebs away and in the evening it helps me take an objective look at my work and set my intentions for the next day. For tbe residency, I wanted to take that practice and tweak it just a bit. So here, I write each day about what I have seen or done and then do a little pen and ink drawing that relates to my writing.

]]><![CDATA[I was greeted by cat named Gollum]]>Sun, 18 Nov 2018 16:25:08 GMThttps://www.racquelkeller.com/creative-juice/i-was-greeted-by-cat-named-gollum

A fog Stephen King couldn't have written better.

After arriving in Paris at 7:30 in the morning, I rented a car and headed out onto the roads of France. The fog was a Stephen King kind of thick and the roads were eerily empty.

First sighting of Chateau Orquevaux from the road.

Around four hours into the ride, after squeezing my car through the narrow streets of several small villages, the fog cleared and the Chateau appeared on the top of the hill and my heart started to race.

Gollum the cat. She is a lover not a fighter.

I walked in and was greeted by a cat named Gollum,
who turned her back on me but only to get a good head scratch :)

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