Rachel Milne is a professional fine art painter based in Newcastle, NSW. Rachel specialises in figurative and observational oil painting, in the style of the impressionists, mainly focusing on the genre Intimism. Originally from the UK Rachel now lives and works in Newcastle, Australia. Before leaving the UK Rachel exhibited regularly with the Royal West of England Academy and is now represented by the King Street Gallery on William, Sydney.

Rachel has in the past taught figurative painting classes to both adults and children. Her art teaching is currently on hold while she works towards her upcoming solo exhibition at the Newcastle Art Gallery in 2021.

Rachel paints in all genres but is best known for her Intimist impressionist fine art interior paintings – room paintings and studio paintings – paintings of the everyday clutter of a working and living space. A selection of Rachel’s landscape paintings, portrait paintings, still life, interiors works and drawings can be viewed on this site. Artworks currently available for purchase through the Kings Street Gallery on William can be viewed on the Available Work page.

“I paint with a focus on light and seeing the beauty in the everyday. Once I have established an idea I put all my intellectual capacity into the translation of what I see, concentrating solely on structure, tone and colour. I don’t always stick to Intimism as a genre, I’ll often paint anything that takes my eye, from an unfinished meal to the light on the bedside table. Once the work is finished it becomes obsolete, for me it is all about the process.
I live in fear of becoming too comfortable and complacent and I think often my best work comes from blindly agreeing to turn up somewhere, set up and work. Working from life whenever possible for me is also fundamental. I find the camera makes too many decisions on my behalf and having used photos in the past the results, for me, are always unsatisfying. I find there’s a bit of alchemy that happens when I am confronted and challenged with ever shifting reality.”

To follow Rachel or be notified about upcoming exhibitions and get an insight into her methods and working practice please join her mailing list using the form below.