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Rachel Bywaters' exhibited works are not for sale.
For commission enquiry, please contact Rachel via Instagram @rachbywaters
About the Artist - Rachel Bywaters
Rachel Bywaters is a multidisciplinary artist and proud Gamilaroi woman of mixed-European heritage, currently living and working on Kabi Kabi Country. Her practice encompasses printmaking, jewellery, sculpture, and installation, and is grounded in a deep commitment to storytelling, cultural expression, and First Nations truth-telling.
She is currently in the final year of a Bachelor of Contemporary Australian Indigenous Art at Griffith University’s Queensland College of Art and Design. Informed by her ancestral lineage and lived experience, Bywaters’ work explores themes of resistance and resilience. Her recent practice incorporates native Gamilaroi grasses—materials imbued with cultural and symbolic significance—to subvert colonial narratives and elevate First Nations perspectives.
Bywaters’ work has been exhibited in group shows including Beneath This Skin at the Queensland State Archives, Undergrowth at the Queensland University Art Galleries, Bonyi: Living Culture at Munimba-ja, and No Souvenirs at the upcoming Horizons Festival. Upcoming exhibitions also include The Shape of Time at Artisan, Glass-Box, Griffith University’s printmaking showcase, and Fresh Eyes at Redcliffe Art Gallery. In 2024, she was invited to judge the Next Generation Art Prize at the Matthew Flinders Art Gallery on Bribie Island, where she currently resides.
Material
Lost Wax Cast Sterling Silver
Information
My Creation Story (2023), draws from Bywaters’ research into dendroglyphs—carved trees unique to her Gamilaroi ancestors’ Country in north-west New South Wales. Drawing on these traditional practices, she carves into wax using similar historical methods to create a deeply personal narrative: a creation story shaped by the lives of her mother and father coming together to bring her into being.
Weaving, a long-standing connection to her Aboriginal culture, is central to this work. At the heart of the Guliman—a vessel traditionally used to carry water, bush foods, and personal belongings—are weaving impressions that represent the union of her parents. One side of the Guliman tells her mother’s story; the other, her father’s. The Murray River flows through both, symbolising the role of place and season in bringing her family together—ultimately, weaving Bywaters into creation.
A shared scar tree appears on both sides of the Guliman, signifying the intergenerational trauma carried by each parent. Like the vessel itself, which holds and transports, Bywaters too carries the stories of her ancestors—their pain, healing, and resilience.
Etched into the work are traditional Gomeroi ceremonial paint markings alongside her nation’s totem, Dhinawan—the emu. When worn, these pieces serve as powerful symbols of cultural identity. They act as protective shields, invoking the strength of her ancestors and offering Bywaters a deep sense of empowerment and connection.
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