About Rachel

Born in 1961 in Australia, Rachel was educated in Scotland and has spent most of her adult life as a botanical artist resident in gardens in Sri Lanka and Belgium, returning to the Scottish Borders in 2019, where she now has her studio.

For many years, Rachel's practice was sketchbook based, documenting her life (and other peoples'!) wherever she went.   She has lived a fascinating life steeped in the tropics and the Hymalayas, and travelled India, from top to bottom, on her Enfield motorbike sketching bazaars, markets, holy cows, temples and plants. She ran a community radio station for 3 years in the Indian Hymalaya whilst painting abstract panels for Banon Resorts, a hotel in Manali.

Settled now, her practice is more studio based.

Rachel was recently appointed to the Board of Directors of The Scottish Society of Botanical Artists.

The other vein in her life is music:

"I play the violin"  previously with the Gloucestershire Symphony Orchestra; the Philharmonique d'Uccle, Brussels; Amaryllis, Tienen, Belgium.

Currently with The Clarence Valley Orchestra, Australia, and The Tweed String Ensemble, Berwick-upon-Tweed.