Rebecca Pierce - Artist In Residence at 9 Glebe Street, Glebe

There’s an energy to Rebecca Pierce’s work that resists stillness. Fluid, tactile and ever-evolving, her practice moves between painting, sculpture and photography with an instinctive rhythm, each medium informing the next. It’s a body of work grounded in movement and materiality, where colour, texture and form collide to create something both primal and uplifting.

“My work explores the ever-changing nature of form,” she says. “There’s a sense of flux in everything I create.”

That sense of transformation extends beyond the canvas. Known for repurposing discarded and utilitarian materials, Pierce brings new life to the overlooked, twisting, folding and reworking elements into sculptural forms that carry both history and intent. It’s a process that speaks to sustainability, but also to emotion, each piece layered with a past life and a renewed purpose.

Working across disciplines was never a conscious constraint to resist, but a natural evolution. “The transition between painting, photography and sculpture has become more fluid over time,” she explains. “The subject and the medium often overlap or inform one another.”

Rebecca’s work, often vibrant and expressive, draws on Australian landscapes, as well as recurring motifs of flowers and faces, grounded by a belief in the power of colour to shift mood and perspective. There’s an optimism to it, a sense of energy that feels both personal and universal.

That same philosophy is embedded in the way she has lived. Tucked into the heart of Glebe, her home has been both sanctuary and studio, a space shaped by light, volume and an enduring respect for its industrial origins. Rather than impose on it, Pierce worked with the bones of the building, carving out zones for living and creating while maintaining a raw, textural honesty. “The space has always been about light and flow,” she says. “It’s about visualising how you move through it.”

Inside, art and life are inseparable. Colour spills across both canvas and interior, creating an environment that is as uplifting as it is expressive. “Art and colour have a really positive impact on mood and mindset,” she notes, and here, that philosophy is lived daily.

The home’s connection to its surroundings has been just as influential. Morning walks along the foreshore, the hum of nearby cafes and the easy rhythm of village life have all fed into her creative process. “You feel part of something here,” she says. “It’s vibrant, but there’s also a real sense of privacy.”

It’s a neighbourhood defined by connection, where children still play in the street and community is more than a concept. Weekly family dinners, a walk to the Sydney Fish Market, the energy of Broadway just moments away, all of it contributes to a lifestyle that is both grounded and dynamic.

Now, as she prepares to close this chapter, there’s a sense of completion rather than loss. “I feel I’ve left my mark here,” she reflects. “It’s nice to think the creative energy will continue.”

With her work now showcased at Traffic Jam Galleries in Darlinghurst, Pierce’s practice continues to evolve, but the imprint of this home, its light, its texture, its spirit, remains woven through it.

9 Glebe Street, Glebe is now listed for sale with Ben Southwell - 0407 896 212