Rae George — Contemporary Painter

I am a research-led painter examining where tradition meets contemporary life. Working at the intersection of lived experience and art history, my practice tests the continued relevance of historical visual languages within the present.
Working primarily in oil, I draw from 17th-century Dutch painting while incorporating expressive abstraction and vibrant contemporary colour. My paintings are as much about the act of painting itself as they are about subject matter, engaging in an active dialogue with art history through material process and mark-making.Symbolism plays a central role within my floral compositions. Repeated motifs, such as paired roses, function as quiet emblems of intimacy. I play with themes of motherhood, partnership, and lived relational experience within a historically loaded genre. Through this approach, I seek to reposition still life not as decorative tradition, but as metaphor for relationships and emotional connection.

My practice honours historical methods while expressing a distinctly modern voice. I am currently developing larger-scale works and preparing for practice-led doctoral research that will further interrogate the relationship between symbolism, gendered art histories, and contemporary experience.

Meet the Artist

Rae George is a contemporary painter based in York, UK. She holds an MA degree and has exhibited nationally. Working primarily in oil, her practice draws on 17th-century Dutch painting, combining historical technique with expressive abstraction and contemporary colour.

Rae is a published author and has dedicated the past five years to her oil painting practice. Alongside her studio work, she teaches life drawing and is a visiting lecturer in higher education. She is currently developing larger-scale works and preparing for practice-led doctoral research.

Rae welcomes gallery collaborations, curated group exhibitions, and guest lecturing opportunities.

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Women Artists since 1900 Has their role changed?

This book brings to light the struggle women artists have faced in becoming recognised for their work, and the struggle that still goes on today Women Artists Since 1900 also looks to male artists as inspiration, citing Henri Matisse and his understanding of colour as a crucial influence on Rae George's practice. This text forms an excellent understanding of the role of gender in today's contemporary artworld through a critical understanding of our art histories.

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