Rachel is an emerging mixed-media artist and criminologist based in Meanjin/Brisbane. Her academic research focuses on miscarriages of justice, while her art explores themes of human resilience in the face of adversity and sparks discussions about social justice. Her artwork is characterised by loose, free-flowing lines that show agency and dynamism, as well as multiple layers that conceal and reveal elements of the painting’s history, and a bright and colourful palette to give the sense of hope and optimism.

She has been a finalist in a number of art prizes and exhibits widely in Queensland and interstate. In 2023, she won the People's Choice Award at the Lethbridge Small Scale Art Award for her painting, 'Can You See Me Now?,' exposing the experiences and challenges faced by wrongfully convicted women in the criminal justice system. She recently painted the artwork for the cover of the criminology textbook, Introduction to Criminology and Criminal Justice: An Australasian Perspective (2024).

Read more about Rachel and her work here.

“This painting was created as an escape from the chaos of life when the world felt so heavy. I watched the paint slowly seep into the canvas, played with pastels on its surface, and added layers of collage from previous paintings to build its new history. I invite viewers to escape with me through the portal and embark on a journey of discovery to another world, one that is brighter and lighter on the other side.”

Rachel Dioso-Villa, 2024

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