You Left A Mark On Me
Hi, There!
Rachel’s Latest!
Healing Art
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Healing Art 〰️
For Mark, My Brother - My Best Friend
I jumped into your arms that day. March 31st, it was a Wednesday.
You walked 5 miles to visit me. Not a sweat was shed, What an athlete!
We talked for hours, we laughed so much. You fed my girls cookies, But you left before lunch. I begged you to stay, But you had other plans. People to meet, plenty of fans.
I’ll never forget holding you so tight. Telling you that I loved you, And to “call me tonight.”
I still can’t believe - just a few days went by… My phone rang - And MY big brother had died.
Goodbye to my brother!? My first best friend!! He kept me strong! My lifeline til’ the END!!
My heart is lost, My soul’s not whole, This grief’s like living…. In a black hole.
I carry your sweater everywhere, Mark. To Dunkin’ Donuts, To the park…
No words can tell the pain I know, Of learning how to let you go.
I love you forever.
-Bunny
Rachel Gates
Welcome aboard! I am an artist and poet whose work centers on emotional truth, memory, and healing. My creative journey has been shaped by profound experiences with grief—specifically the loss of my mother, Anna, and my brother, Mark. Losing my two best friends within a few years changed me. It slowed me down and ultimately taught me how powerful art can be when words fall short.
My work spans visual art, poetry, and collaborative projects that have been featured across Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and Nashville Music Guide. Most recently, I created the visual artwork for Body Language, a release by award-winning artist and songwriter Ashley Paul. The cover art translates sound and emotion into visual form, bridging the space between music and memory.
For me, creating has never been about perfection—it has always been about presence. Art became a way to witness grief instead of avoiding it, to honor what was instead of rushing toward what’s next. You Left a Mark on Me grew from that understanding. Through a combination of visual art and poetry, I am blessed to memorialize the souls and experiences that deserve to be remembered, cherished, and carried forward and I am SO excited to work with all of you!
You Left a Mark on Me creates deeply personal sketches and poetry rooted in individual experiences of grief. Each piece begins with you—your story, your person, or an experience you are grieving—shared in your own words and at your own pace. From what you offer, a one-of-a-kind artwork is created, responding to the nuances of your grief rather than reshaping it. Nothing is rushed or generalized; every piece is made to honor the unique mark your loss has left on you.
This work is not about moving on. It’s about remembering, honoring, and allowing love to continue in a new way.
Good Grief
I have to tell you, Charlie, I find NO good in grief. My heart is aching terribly, And I’m grinding all my teeth.
My eyes are dry from crying, It’s hard to get to sleep. Because if I close my eyes, I see the faces I could not keep.
The arrow hits abruptly, Any time of day. Through my chest, into my heart - It’s favorite place to stay.
I find NO good in grief! It’s sad, it brings me down. This grief is BAD. It’s terrible. Okay, Charlie Brown?
-Rachel Gates