Rachel Harris

Despite her slight figure, Rachel Harris has a deeply physical presence. A petite blonde from Pasedena, California, she was practically born an artist. After years of feverish painting and drawing, she’s got her own studio in downtown Los Angeles. She needs all the room to work on her paintings, which tend to be quite large. “I have a hard time getting up on the wall, so I paint on the floor,” she explains. “I work with construction materials, like epoxies and dyes. When I go to Home Depot to pick up tools, they think I’m shopping for a boyfriend. But I appreciate it, because it’s empowering when I change minds.” When the opportunity to pose for Playboy arose, Rachel saw it as another way to change minds, and maybe win a few hearts along the way. “I tested for the hell of it,” she says. “It’s like the lottery. You might as well, right? But I went with it because Playboy’s classic, and they don’t just take your picture—they make you a part of the family. That’s what made me feel so comfortable.” As Miss November 2015, Rachel hopes to raise her profile as an artist, encouraging people to think about her work. “Being viewed as a beautiful woman, I get to redirect the attention to my art and challenge the stereotype that artists are lazy or disconnected. I have it together, I’m creative and beautiful, and Playboy giving me that opportunity is gonna change my life.” If you ask us, Rachel doesn’t need any help—she’s a creative force, and she shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.