Rachel seeks to challenge the concepts of contemporary jewellery, producing a range of high end , mixed material pieces. She loves to challenge the way in which people perceive a piece, by creating small scale sculpture that can be worn on the body, in a way chosen by the wearer. Carefully considering material combination and placement, her work often explores bespoke materials, evoking curiosity between the piece and the wearer themselves. She gathers materials in a collection, waiting to explore them through combination and placement, in a 3D drawing process. Drawing with materials is an essential part of her practice, with linear forms, featuring strongly alongside geometric shapes and spaces. These ideas and themes are explored through bold strikes of colour and simple lines, bought together to create statement brooches, earrings and necklaces,. Pieces are created using Enamel, Formica, Walnut and Acrylic. By stacking, layering and placing components together, she finds different ways of constructing pieces using traditional jewellery techniques such as setting and riveting. This process allows her to explore and explode original thoughts, creating new ideas from one original starting point.
STUDIO
Rachel has a studio is based at the stunning Unit Twelve, in the heart of the Staffordshire countryside, a beautiful location she feels very lucky to work in. Unit Twelve is a contemporary craft workshop and studio space, hosting a regularly changing programme workshops. She shares the space with four other contemporary craft makers, creating a great, lively environment to work in with advice, reassurance and a place for development. Rachel has been a resident at the studio for seven and a half years and has now moved to the new studio location alongside other studio residents. She hosts a programme of contemporary jewellery workshops including techniques from enamelling to traditional silversmithing.
