Meet Rachel Grove of Rachel Grove Art Studio in Camberwell Junction

When Rachel Grove needed to fill the long hours at home during the pandemic, she unlocked her creativity.

And what she didn’t know then was those art-filled days were the beginnings of a whole new career.

Ms Grove was a lawyer when she dug out her paints, and just a few years later she has left law behind and opened her own business in Camberwell Junction, Rachel Grove Art Studio.

The beautiful space, located on Camberwell Rd, is a hive of creativity and the home of a growing and vibrant small business.

“My vision for the studio was to create a place for people to come together, make memories and share a love of art,” she said.

The joy of art

Ms Grove’s journey to opening her own art studio began when she rediscovered her love of painting.

“I’d always loved it in high school but never thought it could be a career, and so I went on to do a law degree,” she said.

“When I started painting again, I found a joy in it and, as my confidence grew a little, I began to showcase my work at markets all over Melbourne.”

Ms Grove enjoyed the interaction with other artists, sharing ideas and critiques, and the interaction with those who purchased her pieces.

“It was scary at first but I loved that I could meet other like-minded people and that people were interested in my work,” she said.

Creating a stunning art studio

Business quickly grew and requests for commissioned artworks from around the world began coming in. So, Ms Grove took a leap of faith and leased a shop in Camberwell Junction.

“I fell in love with it as soon as I saw it,” she said.

“It’s an older building, and I knew I could put my stamp on it and create the space to pursue art full time – and space where other people can come to explore their creativity, engage with the arts, and connect with other creatives.”

She has taken ideas from other art spaces and put her own personality into it. The result is Rachel Grove Art Studio: a beautiful space built up over time that is welcoming, warm and colourful.

“I wanted a place where people feel they’ve come home to art,” she said.

Connecting with Camberwell Junction

With help from her partner Ray, and often accompanied by golden labrador Ripley, Ms Grove’s business has evolved into one where she takes on commissioned work, offers art classes for all ages and levels, and also hosts fun paint and sip events.

She also runs a monthly Ladies Art Group and a Sunday Sketch Club, where they go out to various locations in Camberwell to draw.

“It’s a few hours of mindfulness and exercise. We go to places like nearby Town Hall Gardens or the Hawthorn Community Gardens or Fritsch Holzer Park,” Ms Grove said.

She has recently begun monthly ‘Open Studio’ sessions, where people can come to use the studio for their own creative pursuits.

“I love it here in Camberwell and I want to keep growing my connection with the community,” she said.

“It is wonderful to see people getting together for creative endeavour.

“When I’m teaching, I love to see how delighted people are when they create something. I always say I’m a learner too. I’m self-taught and every day I am learning.”

The lawyer-turned-artist thinks that she is still only at the beginning of her journey.

“It has certainly been an adventure so far. I will keep adapting and growing my studio, and connecting with people who are keen to grow creatively too,” she said.

Visit the studio