ROCWORX®️

ROCWORX®️ Bio

Rachel O’Connell is a multi-media marbling artist and an educator, with over 30 years marbling experience, who has worked with artists all over the world, learning her craft in a creative environment. She trained in leatherwork over 15 years ago for an upholstery project and began marbling on leather over a decade ago. Marbling on paper, wood and natural textiles, Rachel combines her heritage skills with a contemporary design aesthetic to create marbled textile art for home decor, stationery and wearable art.

Rachel launched her sustainable brand, ROCWORX® in 2021 and has since exhibited and sold work in Manchester Art Gallery, Dulwich Picture Gallery, The British Museum and MAKE Southwest. She has participated in a number of exhibitions, most recently at John Ruskin’s studio in Brantwood Museum, MAKE Southwest and Thelma Hulbert Gallery.

Rachel works with sustainable natural materials, handmade papers and repurposed synthetic textiles. She makes to order, with items shipped within 3 weeks from order. She also offers limited batches of artworks and on commission, to conserve leather items and to design to a client’s brief.

Rachel is a sustainable maker, working towards being net zero aligned. With a zero-waste philosophy, Rachel has a circular design range, using offcuts and repurposed marbled leather to create jewellery and accessories. She works with businesses to repurpose their textiles and is currently working with theatrical textiles and ballet slippers received from the Royal Ballet and Opera, with proceeds from sales going to charity.

Rachel is based in Devon, but also tutors marbling across the UK in schools, community groups, museums and galleries. She is a tutor with West Dean College and with the charity, The Creative Dimensions Trust. She has tutored for Arts Council’s National Saturday Club, as well as demonstrating with Endangered Heritage Crafts at Craft Festival and at Weald and Downland Living Museum. She also works privately, teaching small classes in her home studio. Rachel offers a range of workshops in marbling and leatherwork for adults, community groups, families, hen parties and mainstream schools.

Rachel is also a member of:
ACID | Blue Patch | Crafts Council | Find-a-Maker (Craft Festival) | MAKE Southwest | Green Makers Initiative | Leather UK | Society of Bookbinders