A self-taught pastel artist, Rachel Frost was born in 1974, in Toowoomba. She now lives and works on a cattle property near Blackall, Queensland.
Before Rachel was school age, she spent her days as her father’s offsider helping him around the dairy farm. Her mother was a high school teacher. They say the first five years of a child's life are the most influential. For Rachel these days were the best, surrounded by animals and wide-open spaces. She has always had a strong bond with family and animals. For as long as she can remember, Rachel has drawn and of course it was always animals.
Rachel creates colourful realistic pastel paintings, capturing the Australian rural lifestyle. She loves the connection between man and animals. For people in the country, animals are their life and a part of the family. Animals and the land have always made Rachel feel centred and she appreciates the beauty that surrounds us. She loves that through her art she can capture that emotion not only for herself but for others. She loves the joy, emotions, and memories that her art may evoke in one.
Pastel makes the subject come to life with the rich, luminous colours that are achievable and the fine detail that can be created. Rachel uses layering techniques for depth and hatching and feathering for the texture of an animal’s coat.
Rachel’s greatest influences have been Maxine Thompson, Mary Herbert and Julie Grieg.
It is Rachel’s vision to help bring love, peace and joy into people’s hearts by capturing connections between man, animals and the land so we can
come together as one.