Raphe Coombes

Raphe Coombes is based in northern NSW. His practice involves painting and drawing inspired by landscape, energy, connection, history and sound and how they integrate together creates his distinctive imagery. Raphe uses an array of techniques and robust colours to convey his abstracted world.

Working with traditional oil making methods; creating walnut and stand oil from old masters’ recipes and grinding pigments to generate colours. His work is predominantly on board the grain of the timber often acting as a ground informing his practice. Playing with impasto marks and the viscosity of paint, the artist brings us to a strong connection with the expressionist painters of the past.

Raphe’s works are delightfully layered with colour and energetic marks. With pops of red, yellow and purple echoing blooming flowers, sweeps of blue indicating moving water and delightful scrawling’s of bird flight paths taking the viewer on a dance around the surface. The immediacy of the mark making is key here, building on the dynamics and energy of the work creating a thrilling zing of life, intimacy and emotional punch.

Coombes studied at Kingswood Art and Design School, Sydney then moving to regional NSW and finishing his studies at Orange Art and Design Campus. Moving from Newcastle to the Blue Mountains, then the Hunter Valley and currently northern NSW, Raphe’s work is held in many private collections across the country and internationally.

TEN Group Exhibition, August 2024.

Untitled Group Exhibition March 2023.

Raphe Coombes solo exhibition Live, Love, Paint, October 2022.

Q & A with Raphe Coombes 2022.

Highly Commended Mini Series Art Prize 2019, Exhibition Catalogue.