Rachel Bentley
I was born and brought up in the West Yorkshire Pennines, and now live and work in Lower Wharfedale, tantalisingly close to the Yorkshire Dales and the North Yorkshire Moors. Yorkshire has always been my hefted place.
With a career in marketing and business built around my family commitments, I retired my coaching business due to ill health in late 2023 and in January 2024 segued into the passion of a lifetime – creative practice – especially 2D art as well as expressive writing.
My contemporary art practice is inspired by landscape, memory and a deep sense of place. Working mainly in ink, watercolour, acrylics, oils and a glorious mix of layers and textures from special artists mediums through to found items – vintage materials, like lace and cotton fabric, to wild flowers and sticks – and influenced by Sumi painting and Impressionism, I explore mark-making, movement and eventually a balance, a resolution, somewhere between chaos and beauty.
Rather than creating literal representations, my work aims to capture the experience of being lightly grounded in nature. My aim is create pieces that I love enough to gently share with others. I am always delighted yet surprised when others feel what I feel when they see my work, a strong emotional reaction which leads many to buy and indeed collect my work. I am honoured when that happens.
COLOUR Exhibition
Four local artists who are also part of Artists Around Wetherby, showing a wonderful selection of original art, prints, cards and collectables on the theme of COLOUR at Wetherby Gallery above Wetherby Framing, until Feb 21st 2026. Open Tuesday-Saturday weekly, check venue's own info for opening time...more





