Remembering the Flowers of Rome - A Conversation with Rachel Bell

Lehigh Valley Arts Podcast

This week, Ben and Elisabeth talk with Rachel Bell (@rachellbel). Rachel Bell is a mixed media artist living and working in the Lehigh Valley.

After graduating from Tyler School of Art at Temple University with a BFA in painting and drawing and a minor in art history, she immersed herself in the Lehigh Valley art scene.

She began working as the front desk receptionist at the Banana Factory and soon after that she started interning at the Allentown Art Museum in the exhibition and collections department. After putting in a year at the art museum, she then went on to work as a gallery assistant at Bethlehem House Gallery. Over the course of 2018 she went back to Temple and became a certified floral designer. Furthermore, in 2019 she started working under a local florist in the Easton, PA flower shop “Bloomies”.

Her role as a floral designer influenced her contemporary painting style and brought her work into the 3D realm. In 2020, during the pandemic shutdown, she was able to expand her portfolio and create a body of new work, which was on display in the Bethlehem House Gallery’s Holiday Show 2020. The exhibit included many of Rachel’s mixed media paintings & drawings, floral arrangements, installations, and prints.

Currently, Rachel has elevated her role at the House Gallery to Assistant Director, continues to create fresh floral arrangements at Bloomies, which was rated 2021’s Best Flower Shop in the Valley by LV Style Magazine, and she also manages her art practice in Studio 248A at the Banana Factory.

Our opportunity for the week is the artist reception for for “Black Vision.” Femi J. Johnson is the guest curator for this celebration of Black History Month. Femi has chosen three prominent local artists to feature in the show — Berrisford Boothe, Al Johnson and Charles Stonewall. The reception is Thursday, February 3, 5:30-7:30, at ARTHAUS (645 Hamilton St).