Rachel O’Connell ROCWORX

Venue

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Venue Facilities

Artist statement

Rachel is a multi-media marbling artist, leatherworker and an educator. Marbling is a heritage craft, where inks or paints are laid on the surface of water and transferred to paper or textiles. Inspired by coastal walks, Rachel marbles on paper, wood and natural textiles, creating wearable art, home decor, stationery and leather goods.

Extended 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 wearable art, home decor, stationery and marbled leather carry goods. Rachel turned professional and launched 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 3-4 weeks from order. She also offers limited batches of artworks and works 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 receives theatrical textiles and ballet slippers donated by the Royal Ballet and Opera, with proceeds from sales going to the Trussle Trust (Foodbank) 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, 1:1 with trauma survivors. Rachel offers a range of workshops in marbling and leatherwork for adults, community groups, schools and families. Rachel is a member of: ACID | Blue Patch | Crafts Council | Devon Artist Network | Find-a-Maker (Craft Festival) | Green Makers Initiative | Leather UK | MAKE Southwest