And yes… Painter really is my last name!
Hi, I’m Rachel Painter - a contemporary landscape painter living between the wild Cornish coast and the expansive skies of Exmoor. I create atmospheric, light-filled oil paintings that carry more than what the eye can see - paintings that stop you mid-step and invite you into a moment of wonder.
When Something Lights Up Within
I’m drawn to the moments when light transforms everything-
the sun breaking through clouds, colour spilling across land and water.
The familiar becoming breathtaking.
The awe, the wonder, the beauty.
Time slows and the world feels that little bit bigger.
It's just sheer feeling. Difficult to put into words - words fall away in a moment of such beauty and wonder.
Filled with a sense of hope, anticipation for what can be, maybe mixed with some trepidation too, a sense of possibility - faith.
That feels most real to me, how we can feel more than one thing in a given moment, especially in moments of hope that invite us to take the next step toward what we cannot yet see.
Every painting begins with a moment of wonder
The landscape, and the paths we choose, the changing light and weather we experience become a metaphor for life in my paintings. As we step into the unfamiliar landscapes of our own lives, into the places we can't see yet.
It's that sense with all its contrasts and aliveness I'm wanting to imitate in my painting - staying in a place of wonder, open to unexpected beauty.
Things get a whole lot more exciting when you linger there and seek it out.
My questions lead me to new places - what if I lay this thicker paint against this thinner veil of colour, soft veils of translucency resting against spirited brushstrokes, jewel-toned hues meeting radiant earthy tones - how do I create that sense of energy and yet stillness within the light, the texture - untold possibilities to explore.
It's why I'll return to the same places, the same skies sometimes for years - it's about conveying how that moment felt and the narrative the light is telling. I'm going after that, more than I am capturing the landscape.
When Wonder Found Me
After studying graphic design at Falmouth University, I spent years pouring my creativity into community projects and youth work - sparking creativity in others while quietly setting aside my own.
But in 2018, one question cracked something open.
That sense of wonder didn’t just inspire my paintings - it led me back to the path I’d been avoiding, reigniting the dream I’d set aside for years.
Where my paintings have travelled
My work now lives in homes, galleries, and spaces across the UK and abroad, including the US, Australia and Europe.
I’m currently represented by:
- Cornish Art Gallery, Cornwall
- Fotheringham Gallery, Scotland
- Ashleigh Bishop Fine Art, Exmoor
Some recent highlights:
- Forseven luxury car start-up, commission + live painting
- Atlanta Trevone Bay luxury accommodation, creative experience for press trip
- Green & Stone Of Chelsea, Summer Exhibition
- Well Curated & Women’s Health UK, magazine feature
It honestly means the world - thank you!
Maybe you just discovered me - welcome! Or perhaps you’ve been following for a while and browsing, dreaming of commissioning a piece, or hoping to find the perfect original, I’m so glad you’re here. You’ll find a few ways to get started below.
With love and gratitude, Rachel x
