Between the Frame and the Page: Finding Art in the In-Between

Oct 11

3 min read

Writing and photography both ask us to slow down—to look closer, to notice what might otherwise pass by. For artist and writer Rachel Turney, these practices are inseparable ways of capturing life in fragments: a photograph freezes a moment, and a poem gives it breath. In this conversation, Turney reflects on navigating creative endeavors and learning to embrace the unfinished pieces that make creativity feel alive.

Close-up of a large white flower in grayscale; delicate petals with a textured center, set against a blurred garden background. — Flower photograph by Rachel.

Q: What first drew you to working across both writing and photography, and how do the two practices inform each other?

A: I’ve been writing and taking photographs since I was a kid, but I only started submitting my work to literary magazines in 2024. Both of these mediums are pretty accessible, and I hope that my work encourages other artists to take the leap into publishing. Through publishing, I have learned so much and grown as an artist through interactions with others and being involved in an artistic community. It came at a great time of transition in my life.

Both writing and photography are about capturing moments. It’s about pausing and spending time documenting life, history, culture, and the self.

Q: Are there particular artists, photographers, or writers who have shaped your vision?

A: Probably many. I don’t think we really create anything new—we are a product of our environments and exposures. Recently, I have been dabbling in horror and sci-fi, so I have been reading books and watching films in those genres. I have always been drawn to black-and-white portraits and landscapes. My cousin had an Ansel Adams book when I was growing up that I coveted. My mother also had some Georgia O'Keeffe prints. I think being around that art in the places I spent time was impactful. I’m lucky that I come from a family and micro-society that think art is cool and worthwhile.

Q: How do you translate a visual moment into words—or words into an image—without losing what made it powerful in the first place?

A: I really struggle with fighting against the cliché, so you are kind of highlighting one of my fears. The “doneness” of art is tough. When is this draft ready? Probably never, so that’s part of the release artists have to find in their process.

Q: Both writing and photography capture fragments of experience—do you think of your work as fragmentary or as attempts toward completeness?

A: Pieces. It’s all about capturing pieces—little moments in time. There are missing parts, so I think completeness isn’t part of my process or the goal.

Q: How does your work wrestle with the tension between documenting the present and preserving memory?

A: Artists need to let go of perfection. This balance is difficult, especially with editing, which is also necessary. The present becomes a memory in an instant, so I think all of my work is about the past.

Q: If you could give advice to the version of you who was just starting out as a creative, what would you say?

A: Break up with your boyfriend and spend more time on art. Amen. Also, your work is good enough.

Q: What are your rituals for writing and/or taking photographs, if any?

A: For photography, I just try to make space in life to stop and pause. That can be inconvenient in our fast-paced world, but it’s always worth it.

For writing, I do have areas in my home where I write and little rituals. I try to write in the morning before work, and I tend to also write at night. I build a bank of little ideas and often pull from those, like my own prompt list or scratch pad of poems. It’s over three hundred pages long right now.

Q: Why are art and its history important?

A: Art is important because it allows us to be more than what we are—to break out of the traditional confines of being humans with a simple word: art. What did that mean to a person in a particular place one hundred years ago? What does it mean to you right now? These are the questions that art captures, and that’s why it’s important to share and preserve it.