FullBleed

Photo courtesy of Sean McCormick

Recently I had a chance to sit down with Rachel Robertson, a well traveled twenty something that just hit the D.C. creative scene with a jam-packed portfolio. Rachel hails from the Bayou, but she’s spent most of her time in the past two years traveling around Africa working with Liberia refugees. At only 26, Rachel has seen more and traveled further than most of us can dream.

What I saw in her portfolio was great, but even more impressive was her innate zest for life, travel, and everything design.

RB: Pick a number between one and ten. GO.

RR: 7, of course. I was also born on the 7th day of the 7th month. But I really wanted to pick 12. The 1 and the 2 make an R if you squish them together.

RB: What’s the oddest thing in your refrigerator?

RR: Does freezer count? Haven’t actually been able to claim a refrigerator in years—I’ve been so transient up until now—but the last time I did have a refrigerator I put my sadly deceased goldfish in Ziploc water bags in the freezer. I couldn’t bear the thought of flushing them—so undignified—and always thought I’d get around to burying them at some point.

RB: What’s a product you wish you’d thought up?

RR: The magic 8 ball. It’s made my life so much easier.

RB: First thought when you heard the word “twitter”?

RR: Falling in love.

RB: What’s something you avoid like the plague?

RR: Twizzlers, and football. I’m pretty much open to anything else.

RB: Have you ever felt compelled to buy a Billy Mays product? You know, Oxiclean, Hercules Hooks, etc.)

RR: Oh, OxiClean. Absolutely. I’m much more about play than perfection, and focus more on conversation than eating, so it’s not uncommon for me to end up with the occasional fleck of food on the table, on my face, and especially on my clothes.

RB: What are you sick of hearing about?

RR: Reality TV and other shows that make you feel like you’re doing something. How about actually doing something!

RB: If you didn’t do what you do, what would you do?

RR: I could entertain myself doing so many things: structural geology, international journalism, and horse training are some of the fields I’ve forayed into. But I’m happy doing what I do now, and happy to be living in DC.

RB: We’re fishin’ for some new music, so what band(s) do you love now?

RR: My new found favorites both come from Sweden: The Tough Alliance, great lyrics, fresh experimentation with music and sound, and The Honeydrips, which is an almost whimsical one man band (though you’d never know it listening to him) who plays electronic music that is both fun and beautiful.

RB: How many countries have you been to and which one is your favorite?

RR: I’ve lived in Germany, Austria, London, Africa, and Costa Rica. The most idyllic place for me is definitely Costa Rica.