Rachel Varden’s studio work is a combination of painting and drawing, which conveys a pictorial language with concrete statements hidden within. Her paintings are characterized by quick, fluid brush strokes and drawings that are often depictions of images or figures in a cartoon-like appearance. She typically uses vibrant colours in her work. Rachel views the cartoon as her best weapon against the intellectual concept of what highbrow cultural art is all about..

As an artist, she is a cultural critic. She speaks to society through her paintings. In our world, everything seems to be scripted or staged. We use these things to distract and misinform. This includes false news, media interference, etc. so it's difficult to know what's real or not. In this new world order, the norm is out of whack but the simple everyday experience continues. In her paintings, she explores erasure and constant investigation. These elements offer resistance and obstacles in making sure that perhaps things are not as they should be and to challenge the way people see things. This method creates a sense of realism, instead of a typical representation.