The Forgotten Her Story – Rachel Scott Bowling
The latest addition to The Forgotten Her Story, set up by Manuela Wirth to document the lives of remarkable women creators, is Rachel Scott Bowling.
Her path has taken her from studying painting at the Royal College of Art to working with textiles and creating items, most famously her dresses, from patchwork.
She experimented with knitting as a child, making ill-fitting jumpers for her family. She then became a painter, her canvases filling her Pimlico flat, until the late ‘70s, when she switched to weaving rugs, which she reasoned were more practical items than paintings, and could be used and enjoyed.
Since then, her creations have gone well beyond rugs, taking in bags, scarves, pillowcase covers, chess sets, and even tiny pipe-cleaner creatures. But she’s best-known for her patchwork dresses, and she’s never seen dressed in anything else, viewing the dresses as an extension of herself, and wearing only what she has made with her own hands. They’re made from discarded textiles, each patch replaced when necessary, so each dress remains unique and effectively lasts for ever. Edeline Lee has talked to Rachel about her life, experiences, and creative evolution, while Cat Garcia has photographed her for an upcoming conversation. We’ll let you know when it appears.
