This week’s Year 7 and 8 Socrates Lecture welcomed artist Rachel Veldtman, who shared her journey on identity, inspiration, intuition, and refinement. Rachel spoke fondly of growing up hearing about Sydenham High, where her mother had her very first teaching role in the 1960s!
Rachel’s presentation was raw and real, exploring her struggle with naming herself as an artist and her identity within that role. She shared how, from a young age, she wanted to be an inventor, and feels she has kept those qualities of creativity, innovation, and curiosity with her as an artist. Recalling one of her earliest memories of bringing art home from nursery, she shared how her mother’s reaction disappointed her. Rachel noted that if there was one thing our girls took away from her lecture, it should be to not let criticism shape them.
Rachel continued by discussing her struggle with defining her identity in her younger years. She spoke about consistently comparing herself to those around her, namely her older sister, who often seemed ‘more accomplished’ or ‘further ahead.’ With hindsight, she wishes she hadn’t let those differences get her down, noting how differently their careers unfolded. On this point, Rachel encouraged students to know their own mind and follow what drives them, echoing our ethos of Forging Your Future.
Discussing her career, she spoke about how she developed her art and textile skills alongside her education, allowing her to transform her passion into a successful side hustle. She encouraged students to explore their own passions in their spare time to remain ambitious. While she is now Head of Art at Caterham School, she continues to grow as an artist in her own right, commissioning, exhibiting, and selling her own work. She explained how her creativity continues to grow as she stays curious and inspired by the world around her.
Her final message for the students was to stay empowered: ask questions, know your mind, and follow what drives you.
You can find Rachel at https://tartanzebra.com/