Rachel Younesi Interview
Rachel Younesi | @psychic_heart
Hi Rachel! Tell us a bit about yourself. Who you are, where you're from and what you do!
My name is Rachel Younesi aka @Psychic_Heart. I am a collage artist, writer, photographer, wife, mother of two, and deeply spiritual human being based in Los Angeles. I cut up magazines and books, photographs and film negatives, then assemble the pieces together to create something entirely different and new from what once was. Through my work I connect with my intuition, my psychic heart, and give myself the space I need to ground myself; the space I need to simply feel.
How did you get your start as an artist?
Around 2009 or so, I dreamt that scorpions were crawling all over my bed. It was so visceral that the moment one of them stung me, I woke up feeling the pain of its pinch. I felt compelled to somehow capture what I'd seen - to make my dream tangible. In hindsight, it was a message from beyond that I was desperate to understand. I rummaged through my parents house for magazines, scissors and glue, and made my first collage. I also wrote a short story called The Scorpion's First Pinch. Then, I went years without making anything. I graduated college, worked in entertainment for a decade, got married and started a family. But the primal need resurfaced after I turned 33 in January 2020, and the work continued to pour out of me throughout the pandemic and ever since. My grandmother is a collage artist too, so in a way, it's always been in my blood.
“Through my work I connect with my intuition, my psychic heart, and give myself the space I need to ground myself; the space I need to simply feel. ”
When things get tough, where do you find the inspiration to keep moving forward?
On the Pilates reformer or over a cocktail with my husband. I've also discovered that somatic meditation and stretching are essential for my well-being. Connecting with nature is too. And baths.
Anything weird on your bucket list?
I want to fly. I literally want to wear mechanical wings and fly over the valley in which I live. One day.
Top three songs you keep on repeat?
Blue Skies by Willie Nelson
A Face In The Crowd by Tom Petty
All is Full of Love by Bjork
Podcast you can't get enough of?
Back from the Borderline by Mollie Adler. Her exploration of mental health in our modern world is a super fresh take and frankly life changing. I appreciate her candor and vulnerability in discussing topics still shrouded in shame.
Rachel Younesi | @psychic_heart
