Rachel Quigley is a Sussex-based, multidisciplinary artist working across acrylic and oil painting, design illustration and textile design. Her vibrant practice is characterised by expressive brushstrokes, joyful colour palettes and a contemporary aesthetic that celebrates the beauty of everyday life. Inspired by botanicals, food, drink, thoughtfully composed tablescapes and the fleeting moments of family life, her paintings aim to evoke memories, encouraging viewers to reconnect with moments of comfort, celebrations and shared experience.

Her current body of work centres around tablescapes - mealtimes, cocktails and messy get-togethers - alongside more intimate paintings inspired by motherhood and family life. Whilst she is drawn to the visual pleasure of food, drink and the people around her, her interest runs deeper. These scenes explore the ways we connect: the conversations shared over a glass, the emotions held within a gathering, the fleeting gestures of childhood and the memories that linger long after the table is cleared. A wine stain, a particular choice of glassware or crockery, a familiar expression or an unguarded gesture - each carries its own subtle narrative.

“I am interested in how these details can evoke nostalgia, comfort, and a sense of closeness, prompting the viewer to recognise something of their own story within my work.”

Motherhood has deeply shaped both the rhythm and perspective of Rachel’s practice. She has chosen to focus her work on the experiences that bring simple joys within this stage of life - sharing food and conversations. Alongside the tablescapes, she has gently documented moments of her family, capturing the fleeting moments of their lives as they unfold. These works explore the tenderness, intimacy and quiet beauty of everyday family life - the gestures, expressions and in-between moments that feel ordinary as they happen, yet become precious with time.

Her experience of early motherhood shaped the emotional core of her work. Those long, often solitary days were softened by the anticipation of meeting a friend over a cup of tea, a slice of cake or a simple brunch. These small gatherings carried a powerful sense of connection; a moment to feel seen, supported and less alone. Sharing food and drink became more than routine - it becomes a kind of lifeline. This understanding continues to inform her paintings, where the table is not just a setting, but a place of reassurance, conversation and solidarity.

Whether painting a crowded table, a quiet domestic scene or a moment with her children, Rachel returns to the same underlying fascination: the beauty and emotional significance held within the everyday. There is a certain magic in a cup of tea that can shift a mood, just as there is in a fleeting childhood expression. These are the moments she seeks to hold on to through paint: simple, sensory experiences that hold emotional weight.