Rachel Saunders is a multidisciplinary artist and designer born on Salt Spring Island, Canada. She currently works (and plays) with clay as her primary medium.

Read on to learn more about Rachel, her background and how our limited edition Earth Day candle collaboration came to be!

How have you been lately?

A mixture of inspired, stretch-too-thin, open to newness, and grateful for the sun.

What has been new in your personal and business life since we last collaborated on our Matcha Candle?

I’ve gotten more clear on what lights me up and what doesn’t. I would say I outgrew at least 3 different versions of myself and continue to step further into a live I’m really excited to live, even though most days it feels scary to. The business has both grown immensely and been intentionally downsized to focus on my most authentic passions and connections.

What is the inspiration behind the Mala x Rachel candle?

At the forefront of most of my designs is the ability for an object to be multipurpose, which is why I love our collabs. Because we wanted to celebrate Earth Day,  I was inspired to highlight the raw earth-sourced materials that go into each vessel, and use them to support new growth and regeneration. I thought it would be so sweet to reuse the terracotta pot to plant little seedlings or flowers after the candle was finished, so we included a pack of wildflowers with every purchase. I’ve also always loved the colour of unglazed ceramic and this was the perfect way to incorporate it, especially in combination the the sky-blue wax.

What are you looking forward to this year?

Stepping boldly even further into my most authentic expression of self, continuously breaking past the limited and outdated structures that keep me small.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Living in a house made out of clay on a regenerative farm hosting artist retreats where people can come and rest, play, and get Back Into Nature ;)

Stay connected with what's new at @rachelsaundersceramics and discover our limited edition Back to Nature candle here, while we still have stock!