Art supplies on a table, including brushes, shells, and an open art book, with a background labeled 'ARTIST NOTES' and decorative shells around the border.

Rachel Sierra Haslett 9/22/26 Rachel Sierra Haslett 9/22/26

forever muse

i’ve been up early lately, feeling so driven to create i can’t sleep once i wake. it also doesn’t help that my alarm keeps going off at 5 am, and by alarm i mean my 9 month old baby.

it’s so easy for me to push aside the time i could have to myself. it’s nice to be home, with my family. but this morning i decided to go for a sunrise swim since we were already up, and i’m so glad that i did.

the water was reflective, shimmering, inspiring. it’s hard to believe we have this level of magic at our fingertips, if we only get outside for the sunrise.

Rachel Sierra Haslett 9/18/26 Rachel Sierra Haslett 9/18/26

a study of shells

whenever i’ve had a break in my practice i try and hold space for play. it’s easy to be tempted to dive right into where i was last without honoring my evolution of self. a pause is so sacred, inspiration is birthed from living a full life. and this is why play, for me, gives me a moment to move freely and meet myself again, as i am now. to pay attention to what catches my eye, now. to what delights me, now. what draws me in: the colors, the shapes, the light. and usually, this leads to a whole new wave of work.

Rachel Sierra Haslett 9/16/26 Rachel Sierra Haslett 9/16/26

snorkeling, on film

I took this photo a year ago to date. My partner and our son needed an outing, so we walked to a nearby beach. My son was learning to swim at the time, and I try and bring him in the water as much as I can. As long as it’s fun. We had a nice time snorkeling, as he held on my shoulders and floated along.

I remember feeling so pregnant at this point, six months along! It’s funny because you can’t notice it from the camera angle at all. It’s still the dominant feeling in my memory.

A storm blew in and we hid under our umbrella, eventually giving up and playing in the rain.

Rachel Sierra Haslett 9/14/26 Rachel Sierra Haslett 9/14/26

color studies / costa rica 2026

We spent the summer in Costa Rica, and I’m forever inspired by the landscapes we found along the way.

Rachel Sierra Haslett 9/14/26 Rachel Sierra Haslett 9/14/26

a morning in the studio

We travelled most of the summer, and when we got back there was so much I needed to catch up on. It wasn’t until I made some time this morning that I realized it’s actually been months since I’ve painted. When it’s been so long, I like to experiment or learn some new skills instead of jump automatically into what I was creating before. Life precedes art, and I like making space to see how life will play out on the canvas.

I recently bought a book called “The Shell, 500 Million Years of Inspired Design.” It’s been on my wishlist for years, and it inspired me to paint a quick little shell study in my notebook. Life passes quickly, time in the studio even quicker, but it felt really good to be back.