Dinner With Friends, 2025

This painting is one of a series of paintings exploring parties and other social gatherings. It invites us into a rich tapestry of human connection, immediately sparking questions about the interwoven lives at the table: Do these individuals get along, or are hidden tensions simmering beneath the surface? Is that a subtle glance of flirtation or a shared moment of comfortable silence? The artwork presents fleeting glimpses of emotion—a hint of boredom, a spark of joy, a touch of melancholy—allowing us to imagine countless narratives. Through these observations, we’re encouraged to feel a deep sense of recognition, perhaps even a sense of nostalgia, for the myriad social occasions that have shaped our own lives.

Rebecca is an emerging artist from Warrnambool, Victoria. She loves to paint people, and her work captures universal human emotions. From the loneliness and despair that can sometimes plague us, to the joy of connection at a party or over a meal, her figurative paintings are ultimately a vibrant celebration of the human condition.

Rebecca’s work explores the situations that connect us and the stories that help us make sense of the world. A distinct sense of humour and pathos permeates her canvases, evoking a nostalgic familiarity as the universality of emotions—be it love, joy, boredom, or loneliness—is eloquently expressed through the subtle tilt of a head or the gentle touch of a hand. The playful naivety of her artistic style serves to amplify the unique character of each individual she portrays. Her paintings invite viewers into a narrative, encouraging a moment of pause and reflection on the people and objects within, ultimately allowing for interpretation through the lens of our own memories, our own complex lives.

Rebecca has been a finalist in both the Mandorla Art Prize and the Biblio Art Prize. She has exhibited at art fairs and is represented by a variety of galleries across Australia. Her work was selected to exhibit in the ACB Selects exhibition in Sydney in 2025. She has five children, one husband, two scruffy dogs, and lives in a very small house on a big block of land.