ABOUT

Rachelle was born in 1971 in Margate, Kent. With a creative mind and a curious nature her education began on the shores beneath the towering white-faced cliffs of the Kentish coast. Those chalky giants inspired a lifetime of work and her affinity for landscapes of rocks & stones, sea & sky galvanised Rachelle’s practice regardless of medium.

Pale subtle colours and complex texture have always been a trademark of Rachelle’s creative work and her career has embodied an interesting journey with her most recent study an MA Ceramics.

Continuing to work with fibre, textiles, print and the written word along with the ever-present clay which she first encountered in a sculptural context in her early teens forms the basis of her daily practice.

INSPIRE

Everything begins with a cup of tea. Moody, overcast grayscale skies often engulf the morning sunrise. The light that constantly changes on the island often feels surreal, like you are neither here nor there.

Inviting stillness into a chattering mind begins with noticing the rise & fall of the seabirds, the tides, the skies in flux accompanied by constant wind, sometimes gentle often brutal but a comforting part of life even when you can barely stand upright it reminds you that you are very much alive.

It forms the soundtrack of the day as it whistles through the eaves of the studio.

This place has become the centre of my world. There is something incredibly powerful about being alone in the landscape every day. You are engulfed by its enormity and its history. The land that sits in my line of sight has been inhabited for over 1000 years. The echoes of the past inviting me to explore. There is a constant motion and changing landscape that energises your spirit.

Spending time each day amongst the rocks & stones, I relish the salty bitter tang of the sea on my skin. Clambering over storm beach, wandering the strand-line, savouring these moments and recalling them onto the surface of each piece. If it is at all possible, I want to share the connection to this place through my work, encouraging the viewer to feel rather than understand the essence of the chaos and order that this island inspires.