Tracing Shadows

Tracing Shadows

Part of the 'Where the Light Falls' 2025 collection. 

Where the Light Falls’ invites you into an intimate world of gardens, seen through the evolving lens of artist Rachael Mayne. This captivating collection of paintings marks a significant turning point in Rachael’s career, as she transitions from a dual life as a Clinical Psychologist and Artist to fully embracing her artistic path.

Initially, these vibrant, immersive garden scenes, a signature of Rachael's work, provided solace during a period of personal change. You'll observe compositions rich with intricate detail, almost overflowing with their subject. These paintings served as an anchor, a familiar haven, during a time when the artist navigated a pivot from her established career as a Clinical Psychologist to dedicating herself fully to art.

Yet, within the same exhibition, a striking shift emerges. Witness a liberation of brushwork, with thicker paint and bolder textures giving way to visually open, expansive compositions. These later works, born from a sense of freedom in her new studio, reveal a deeper emotional landscape. Here, light and shadow play dramatically across the canvas, from blurred, luminous backgrounds to loose impasto flowers seemingly doused in light amidst darker surroundings. These paintings hint at a journey of embracing change and allowing pent-up emotions to express themselves through vibrant color and gestural marks.
The exhibition title, 'Where the Light Falls, ' has multiple meanings within this body of work. It alludes to the luminous influence of Impressionist masters like Monet, who sought to capture the fleeting effects of light on their subject. It also reflects how, through her paintings, Rachael interprets the emotional intensity of her clinical practice into something of beauty. This exhibition is an invitation to explore the interplay of light and shadow - both literally in the paintings and metaphorically in a life's unfolding journey.

Acrylic on Canvas.

Framed in a walnut tray frame.

639mm (W) x 9480mm (H) (including frame).