Rachel Bentley: Tasting Room Attendant and Artist Extraordinaire
At Rootstock, we are more than cidermakers and distillers, we are a collection of unique individuals who come together to make the best working team. We are proud of our team members and want to share with you the great things they do not only for our company, but outside of it too. Our first team member spotlight (and definitely not last) is on Rachel Bentley, a person whose passion for art shines inside and outside of our tasting room.
Rachel’s Passion
Other than helping us out in the tasting room,, Rachel is a wife, mother, business owner of a design company, published author, and avid crafter. Amongst her busy lifestyle, she is able to take her passion for art and turn it into a livelihood and hobby. Rachel’s love for art started at a young age because of her mother, a graphic designer. She started by taking advanced art classes in elementary school, then attended RIT where she began to explore illustration and drawing, ultimately leading to an interest in graphic design. Whether it is working with her clients to design their dream brand or crafting with her kids to create family keepsakes, art has given Rachel a path that allows her to be inspired at any moment.
“Art is an expression of emotion, it’s a beauty that lasts forever. I can look back at a piece and feel again what I felt when I created the piece. Art has become a release, an escape of how I feel and how I interpret the world around me.”
Expressing Her Passion at Rootstock
Rachel has always been interested in the craft beverage industry and kept trying local cideries for new products. After falling in love with our hopped cider, she decided Rootstock would be her go-to spot with family and friends.
“It was clear after a few visits the passion that the DeFisher family has for their product. Once I started working here, I grew that same passion for the products and added in some of my own enthusiasm for it by adding art to the mix.”
Rachel allows our team’s passion for cider and spirits to be shown through a different format, art. Whether it’s creating illustrations for a special event or designing our drink menu chalkboards, her talent contributes to the experience of our tasting room.
Click on the images above for a description.