It’ll Grow Back by Ruby Neuhold

Change, in all its forms, is a big part of growing up. It’ll Grow Back is a portrait of one of my closest friends, Isla, during a moment that felt small at the time, but has stayed with us. We’ve been best friends since Prep, and as we’ve grown, we’ve seen so many versions of each other, all shaped by shared experiences and quiet moments like this one.

The painting is based on a memory of when I bleached Isla’s hair. “It’ll grow back” became a kind of mantra throughout the process; both reassurance and inside joke. That phrase, like the moment itself, came to symbolise trust, transformation, and the fun of taking risks together.

The soft white outline around us represents memory and the blur of time, while the bright blue underpainting reflects the sense of calm that comes from being fully accepted by someone. This portrait is about friendship, and how small memories help shape who we are.