Fairy Floss

With shapes of blue, green and fluorescent pink hair that emerge from the canvas, this piece is vivid, daring and demands attention.  Teasing the imagination as they seem to come alive from the canvas.

Hair symbolizes physical strength, identity and personality, serving as a powerful extension of the human spirit.  It reflects both personal expression and individuality, whether through untamed wildness or precisely styled cuts,

The emergence from the canvas is a call for people to embrace and project their true selves, allowing their inner thoughts, emotions, and individuality to break free and be seen.

This painting appears as a wonderful fusion of color and form, of reality and fantasy, pulling viewers in for a closer look to truly appreciate its complexity.

Its eclectic, abstract style offers an air of mystery, prompting viewers to question the story behind the shapes and colors that fiercely burst from the canvas.

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Rachel South is a Queensland-based artist whose practice explores emotional and sensory landscapes through vibrant oil and acrylic paintings. Her work often blends symbolic natural forms with intimate portraiture, using fine detail, colour, and contrast to evoke memory, connection, and reflection.

Her recent work investigates the sensory qualities of hair, feathers, and fur, using layered brushwork to explore ideas of intimacy, memory, and identity through touch and sensation. In 2025, Rachel was awarded a Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF) grant to support the growth of this body of work, furthering her exploration of felt experience in visual form.

Rachel’s paintings have been recognised across Queensland, with multiple finalist selections in regional and national art awards, including the Moreton Bay Art Prize where she was awarded third place. Her practice continues to evolve through both solo and group exhibitions, with works held in private collections throughout Australia. Inspired by the natural environment of Moreton Bay and Elimbah, her art is both contemplative and immersive, inviting viewers to pause within the layered experiences of identity, memory, and place.