I was raised on the south coast of Wollongong and moved to the Tea Gardens area in 1993. I am a self taught artist and sculptor and am always inspired by the beauty of nature. Some of my work includes hand carved sandstone fish, turtles and lizards which I have sold interstate and overseas. I enjoy creating pieces from found objects and have made many sculptures of lighthouses, boats and other pieces with natural and nautical themes. I also make functional pieces such as letterboxes, cabinets, chopping blocks, carved mirrors and clocks.

I was recently given some acrylic paint and I have found yet another medium to explore, creating paintings of outback scenes including sunsets and our native flora and fauna. I started with sunset painting inspired by the amazing colours of the outback during a trip to Lightening Ridge.

Long before I took up painting I had been fascinated by the way the Australian Impressionists such as Frederick McCubbin and Tom Roberts had captured the light, the colour and the mood of the Australian bush.   My initial work with light as a university student was through photography and painting with water colours.  Unfortunately, whilst pursuing my profession, I was time poor and only continued to paint on rare occasions.

On moving to Tea Gardens I was captivated by the intense light and contrasts of the area, morning mists, hot summer days with shimmering beach light, twilights and big sky sunsets colouring the river and headlands.

I began to paint again working with local artist Rex Newell, renowned for his paintings of the outback.  I switched to oils and found it to be an exciting and challenging new medium.  Working with Rex, along with my admiration for the Australian Impressionists has no doubt led me to concentrate on landscapes and seascapes and paintings with an historic angle.  The wonderful environment of Tea Gardens and Hawks Nest has inspired me to paint many local scenes. 

Recently I have exhibited and sold some of my works both locally and in Sydney. My paintings are traditional although I have been trying to develop a freer style particularly when striving to capture the effect of light in a scene.  The hardest part of any painting is knowing when to stop.  However with all the distractions this wonderful area has to offer I find that even though I am semi retired, for me the most difficult part of painting is finding the time to start.

I have been fortunate in having seen some of the world’s greatest works of art ranging from the prehistoric cave paintings of the Lascaux region in France to the treasures of the Louvre, Paris’s stunning Modern Art Gallery and the Pitti Palace and more recently architecturally decorative works in Syria.  They remain a continuing source of inspiration.

Rachael was born in Sydney in 1990 from parents who are both artists, Alex and Prue Andrews and has developed a very distinct style of her own.

Rachael has been drawing since she was old enough to hold a pencil, self taught in a style that suited her own perception and expression. She gains inspiration from things out of the ordinary and of a fantasy nature. Rachael shows a love for things that make herself and others laugh.

At an early age she won prizes from kids magazines and showed her ability to change and create characters that producers and editors were after.

Combined with drawing and colouring, this has been an ongoing process leading to including more modern design concepts as well as tattoos.

Rachael has had successful shows in Sydney which has lead to various awards and trophies in the past few years. She is currently represented in Sydney by art dealers and agents and her work features in private collections throughout Australia.