Rachel Milne was born in 1978, in Cambridge England and moved to Newcastle in 2013. Rachel studied at Cardiff University UK and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Fine Art Painting in 2000. Before leaving Milne exhibited regularly at the Royal West of England Academy.
In 2013, Rachel was awarded the Singleton Portrait Prize and received highly commended in the Newcastle Emerging Artist Awards. In the past six years has been a finalist in the Wynne Prize (twice), the Fleurieu Biennale, Kilgour and Tattersall Landscape prizes, the Portia Geach Memorial Award and the Salon des Refusés amongst others. Notably, in 2011, Milne was commissioned for the Portrait of Dr Reverend Jonathon Pye, Principle of Bristol Theological College, UK and in 2015, she was awarded the artist in residence at the Former David Jones Store, Renew Newcastle in NSW.
In 2018 Rachel’s work was featured in ‘A Painted Landscape’ by Amber Creswell-Bell, published by Thames and Hudson. Rachel’s work was also featured in the 2021 publication ‘From Life’ by Amber Creswell Bell.
She also has work in the collections of Bathurst, Newcastle and Maitland Regional Art Galleries.
Rachel Milne currently works and lives in Newcastle, NSW. Rachel has been represented by King Street Gallery since 2015, with whom her last solo exhibition From life, 2019 was shown.
‘I am a painter who works from life alla prima in oil on board. I paint with a focus on light and seeing the beauty in the everyday… In some senses, I am a documentary painter in that my work documents my experiences, some that happened to me, some involving residencies I have sought out.’ – Milne, Rachel
Artist: Rachel Milne Camera/Editor: Erling Gronhaug (Duke's Creations) Producer: Newcastle Art Gallery Courtesy Newcastle Art Gallery
This VFA Film features Rachel Milne painting at the former David Jones Gallery where she completed a six week artist in residence in early 2015.
2021
Personal Space King Street Gallery on William, Sydney, NSW
Nest Newcastle Regional Gallery, Newcastle, NSW
2019
From life King Street Gallery on William
2017
Two Years On King Street Gallery on William
After Olley Bathurst Regional Art Gallery, Bathurst, NSW
2015
Rachel Milne: Painter King Street Gallery on William
The Renewal of David Jones former David Jones Store, Newcastle, NSW
2014
Interiors Newcastle Art Space, Newcastle
2020
Reconnected: a recovery story Museum of Art and Culture Lake Macquarie, NSW
Salon des Refuses S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney
2019
Portia Geach Memorial Award, S.H. Ervin Gallery
Inside/outside King Street Gallery on William
2018
Fleurieu Biennale SA
Tattersalls Club Landscape Prize Qld
Kilgour Art Prize Newcastle Art Gallery, NSW
The Wynne Prize Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney
2017
The Wynne Prize Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney
2016
Kilgour Art Prize Newcastle Art Gallery
Calleen Art Award Cowra Regional Art Gallery, Cowra, NSW
Plein Air Painting Prize Parliament House, Sydney
Fleurieu Prize [Still Life Section], SA
Portia Geach Prize S.H Ervin Gallery, NSW
Art & Dementia Maitland Regional Art Gallery, NSW
M16 Drawing Prize Canberra, ACT
Curve Gallery, Newcastle, NSW
2015
Plein Air Painting Prize Parliament House, Sydney
Salon des Refuses S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney
2014
Kilgour Art Prize Newcastle Regional Gallery
Newcastle University Acquisitive Prize University Gallery
Calleen Art Award Cowra Regional Art Gallery, NSW
2013
Newcastle Emerging Artist Awards Newcastle Art Space, NSW
Singleton Portrait Prize [WINNER] Singleton Civic Centre
2012
Open Exhibition Royal West of England Academy, Bristol, UK
2011
Young Artist of the Year The Biscuit Factory Foundation, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
159 Autumn Show Royal West of England Academy
Jamaica Street Studios Exhibition Royal West of England Academy
2010
Holbourne Portrait Prize Holbourne Museum, Bath, UK
Open Painting Exhibition Royal West of England Academy
2009
Autumn Exhibition Royal West of England Academy
2008
Autumn Exhibition Royal West of England Academy
Glories of the Gorge Exhibition Innocent Fine Art, Clifton, Bristol
2007
Orange Christmas Edgar Modern, Bath
Mortal The Old Pro Cathedral Clifton, Bristol
Autumn Affordable Art Fair Battersea Park London
2004
Open Painting Exhibition Royal West of England Academy
Bathurst Regional Art Gallery, NSW
Maitland Regional Art Gallery, NSW
Newcastle Art Gallery, NSW
Royal Marriott Hotel, Bristol, UK
Theological Collge, Bristol, UK
ArtsHub Online
2019
Representation of 'the bridging & rebuilding of cultures' wins Kilgour Prize People's Choice
Newcastle Art Gallery publication
8 October 2018
The Kilgour Prize by numbers: 31 finalists, 5 locals, 3 judges by Jim Kellar
The Newcastle Herald Online
July 2018
From Herbert Badham to Matthew Martin: the fine art of drawing & painting pools by Therese Spruhan
swimmingpoolstories.com blog
2018
Maitland Mercury
22 January 2015
Artist Rachel Milne inspired by Archibald Prize exhibition by Belinda-Jane Davis
Newcastle Herald
27 January 2015
