Artist and model Gracie Ritchie moves through the world guided by intuition. Her practice, rooted in both discipline and play, reflects a life spent creating - from stippled sketches in small city apartments to large-scale canvases filled with colour and emotion. In conversation with 7th & York, she shares her evolution, her love of fashion, and the quiet confidence that comes with following your own rhythm.
1. Your creative journey spans Modeling, digital art and traditional media. How did it all begin and what has been a pivotal moment for you along the way
I’ve always been drawn to creating - it’s something that’s just been there for as long as I can remember. I started behind the camera, running around my auntie’s farm with my sister, turning paddocks and sheds into “photoshoot” sets. At school, art and design were the subjects that just clicked for me; ideas and concepts came naturally to me, while all else felt super challenging.
I started modelling around sixteen after being scouted in Perth, which gave me an early glimpse into that world. But it wasn’t until a few years later, after moving to Sydney and signing with another agency, that I revisited that path. Meanwhile, my art had grown prior, during COVID - I started doing customs, which was cool, to be able to connect with people through art, especially in such an isolating time.
Looking back, every big shift or pivotal moment in my life has happened when I’ve trusted my intuition - moving cities, changing direction, starting over. Art has always been the constant through it all, along with my love for clothing.
2. Your artwork is full of surreal, intricate details, and you work across a range of mediums. How do you decide which medium to use for each motif, and how does that choice influence the way it comes to life?
Naturally, my practice has evolved in a few different ways. I’ve been doing stippling for a long time - it was a technique I first discovered back in high school. Moving to Sydney and often having minimal space, stippling became such a therapeutic and grounding way to create. Especially living in a bigger city and working in fashion, this style felt very connected to and inspired by that part of my life.
At the same time, I started exploring more digital work. Again, it came from circumstance - living in a small space with few resources, I turned to digital and graphic work, which was mostly inspired by the environment, beaches, and places.
Currently, working in a bigger space and towards a solo exhibition, I’ve been able to challenge myself to work on a much larger scale, tapping into my love for painting with new colours, shapes, and patterns. I’ve found my art to be adaptive wherever I am; I hope it continues to do that as I navigate new spaces and places.
3. How does fashion influence your art and how does your art influence your personal style?
Ooo, they have been two things that have been growing alongside each other completely separately, and it’s only been the last few months that I’ve been able to find a way to bring them together, which feels authentic. I’ve been leaning on fashion to influence and inspire colour combos because, for a long time, I worked mainly in black and white naturally with stippling. Because of that, I wasn’t really experimenting with colour, and it actually made me nervous to paint on a larger scale and commit to choosing the “right” colours.
Challenging myself to step into that space and bring in influences from fashion and creating fun videos of “letting my art style me” has shifted things. It’s made the process feel lighter, more enjoyable, and more fun.
4. Your Instagram is beautifully curated and visually striking. How do you decide what to share and how do you stay authentic in the age of social media?
Firstly, thank you <333 very sweet!!! Hmmm, my relationship with social media started very early. I have been curating and playing around with photos since I can remember - lived on Polyvore, Pinterest, and VSCO (throwback). I’ve always loved mixed media, colour, and styling - which I feel is great for creatives because Instagram is one big visual Pinterest/portfolio.
Although I have gone in waves, when I was signed with a modelling agency, I was told my Instagram had to be perceived as a “high-end model.” Told to strip back, wear all black, and be “expensive.”
This would’ve been the 2022-2023 version of me, where I honestly felt a shift in my identity. I felt lost and wasn’t sharing anything, overthinking everything I posted. I felt the least me ever, and I would say this period was when I was the most online, comparing myself, trying to find examples of what I should be. If you know me, I’m hardly spotted wearing black. While I had some successes in modelling and was able to share online and keep some momentum, I felt the least aligned with myself.
Once I was unsigned, I actually felt free. So I did what anyone does after being both unsigned and coming off a fresh breakup - I bleached my eyebrows and cut my hair because I wanted to (hahahahaha). I found myself coming back to myself and my own rhythm. My beautiful agent Em from Kult Creatives found me in that rhythm, fully embracing me as me and helping nurture my authenticity in a work capacity too.
5. We are so excited to see you in our new Frankie Dress, what pieces from your wardrobe have you pulled to style with it?
The Frankie Dress is a momenttttttt…
I’ve styled the Frankie Dress with the matching head piece, then I’ve gone with mainly red accessories to match the artwork. The bag is Poppy Lissiman, the glasses are from a stand at a market in Sydney, and the shoes are thrifted chunky black thong heels.
I’ve also had fun styling the Pink Pansy Sadie Slip Dress. I’ve styled this two ways - wearing it as the dress with a fun ruffle bag I got at a market, and also styling it as a skirt with a backless red top, accessorised with big glasses.
6. Looking ahead, what projects or collaborations in fashion or art are you most excited about?
Working with you is a dream, firstly! Thanks so much for holding space for me and this creative collaboration! I think looking ahead, I’m actually most excited to have a year of downloading. I had a beautiful conversation with a friend the other day, and art is all about input and output. With the works for an exhibition, my output has been crazy - I’m creating nearly every day, all day, all week. It’s constantly on my mind - what’s next? Which I’ve actually loved the process of! But next year, I’m relocating abroad. I’m keen to just be inspired and allow new experiences and opportunities to arise as they come. To be fully present in the now. Being online is fun, and it will travel with me wherever I go. Experiencing life and allowing myself to grow as a human is something I’m very excited for, and I hope many new collaborations that I can only dream of will cross my paths.
7. With your first solo show on the horizon, what advice would you give your younger self about pursuing a creative path and balancing multiple artistic passions?
Oooo, I would say “talent/skill is a pursued interest.” I know this is a trending quote, but wowwee - from where I started to where I am now. For me, art has always shown up boldly, so I’ve trusted it as a path worth pursuing. But it didn’t happen overnight - nothing ever does. So if you are interested in something, to be good, you must pursue it! Make mistakes, stay curious, and learn from the people around you - there are teachers everywhere.
Consistency has been key. I’ve created for myself simply because I love it, and it’s kept me mentally grounded. Now, with my exhibition, it feels like all that steady work has prepared me to share this with a bigger audience than myself. I’ve also learned that not everything flourishes at once - each passion has its own season. Modelling, art, and fashion have all taken turns in the spotlight, and that rhythm keeps my creativity moving and alive.
