Rachel Knoester creates richly layered paintings that sit between abstraction and recognisable reality, inviting the viewer to complete the story for themselves.

After many years as a city dweller in Melbourne, Rachel made a tree change to the lush green hills of South Gippsland, where she now lives with her partner in Hallston. The surrounding landscape, along with her beloved canine companions, provides an ongoing source of inspiration.

A passionate up-cycler, Rachel frequently brings new life to discarded canvases, frames and found materials, embracing their history as part of the creative process. Layers of mixed media, colour, texture and mark-making build paintings that evoke stories of connection, comfort and wellbeing – celebrating the restorative power of nature and animals.

Her latest body of work celebrates the extraordinary bond between humans and their pets – dogs, cats, birds and the animals who become our companions, confidants and soulmates. In these paintings, the human presence often takes a back seat, allowing the animals to occupy centre stage.

Rachel’s motivation is to create art that warms the soul, evokes a smile and reminds us to pause and enjoy the small moments.