Rachel at work on one of her murals in a private home.

By Len Lear

Rachel Elin-Saintine, 32, who has lived in the Nippon/Bryan/Cresheim section of Mt. Airy for two years, is known by her neighbors as a brilliant artist who paints murals for babies' nurseries and children’s play spaces in homes. (Her business is called 3 Little Pigments.)

But Rachel, who also teaches at the Miquon School in Conshohocken, is so very much more. A native of Rockland County, New York, Rachel graduated from the University of Pittsburgh  in 2006 and then went on to earn a masters degree in International Affairs from The New School and a second masters in Elementary Inclusive Education from Teachers' College at Columbia University.

But Rachel has had more world-expanding experiences in the past 10 years than most people have in a lifetime. Rachel also studied architecture in college and took painting classes in France. “But I’m passionate about languages,” said Rachel, who taught middle schoolers in France and worked with a group of deaf kids as an American Sign Language interpreter.

As her interests in human rights heightened, she worked on community development in Buenos Aires, became a community organizer in Harlem and taught in an urban charter school.

“I worked with deaf kids at a sleep-away camp,” she said. “I learned American Sign Language in High School and continued to practice while I was a counselor at Interlocken International Summer Camp. In my group, I had two deaf girls and six hearing girls ... I'd say that experience was a beginning step into my interest in teaching, as I helped children communicate through their differences.”

What was the difference between teaching in France and in the U.S. besides the obvious language difference?

“My experience in France was vastly different,” said Rachel, “mostly because I was a teaching assistant working with a full-time English teacher, and I taught students who are much older than I teach now. The French education system is set up differently from the American system, so students are in school for six weeks and then have a week off for vacation, and that happens throughout the year.”

What is the difference between teaching at Miquon and at the other schools Rachel has worked in?

“There are many, many differences! I have never worked in a school that respects every child's need to play, explore, and create as much as Miquon does. They provide the time and space for children to interact with one another, learn how to problem solve and dive into their imagination. There is much flexibility in terms of curriculum development by teachers, using their students to help navigate different topics through their interests.  I feel very fortunate that I get to teach there!”

Rachel has always been interested in art and was painting as a hobby for many years. But right before her niece was born about three years ago, her brother and sister-in-law reached out to her about painting a mural in the baby’s nursery. “Once it was complete,” she said, “I thought that other expecting parents might be interested!”

As a result, Rachel founded 3 Little Pigments. Suzanne Tarplin, a mural customer of Rachel’s in New York, told us, “My husband and I were skeptical at first about having something so permanent painted on our nursery walls. But … Rachel listened carefully to our ideas and in two days painted for us a mural spanning three walls that is beyond what we envisioned. It is imaginative and vibrant. We often catch our 4-month-old looking at the monkey in the tree when we put her down to sleep. I couldn't recommend 3 Little Pigments more highly.”

Which talent that Rachel does not have would she most like to have? “I wish I could play a musical instrument. I love to listen to music, but even after taking banjo lessons, I still have a lot of trouble playing.”

If Rachel could live anywhere in the world, where would it be? “ I'm fortunate to have had the opportunity to travel quite a bit. Right now, Mt. Airy suits me! This is the first time I've lived in an area that has a diverse and creative community. Coming from New York City, I never really got to know my neighbors, and I feel fortunate to live on a block now where everyone is committed to getting to know one another better.”

In her spare time, Rachel enjoys reading, running in the Wissahickon with her husband and taking their dog for hikes. After taking sewing classes at the Handcraft Workshop, she is also having a fun time getting some use out of an old sewing machine.

More information at www.3littlepigments.com or rachelelinsaintine@gmail.com