Rachael Colley
Rachael thinks through materials and making, producing jewellery, tableware and sculpture which are explored in experimental dining events, exhibitions, installations and visual art projects.
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United Kingdom
About
Through the innovative combination of craft and cooking processes, techniques and methods, Rachael denatures and transforms citrus peel food waste into a biodegradable vegan alternative to the traditionally luxury leather shagreen (ray or shark skin). Created to produce jewellery and objects, the sensory material comes alive when worn and warmed by its close proximity to the skin, emitting a subtle fruity fragrance.
Rachael first visited Grasse in the south of France in January 2019, where she viewed the historic collections of bergamot and orange boxes at Musee Internationale de la Parfumerie and in the Fragonard Museum. Made from citrus fruit peel using craft methods reappropriated from their leatherworking industry, “Bergamote” and “orangette” are names given to the little sweetmeat or trinket boxes that developed as a form of art in Grasse in the 18th Century. They were made only in Grasse, and in Italy in the Veneto, Calabria and Sicily with varying techniques and characteristics.” Through research, observation of the artefacts, testing of techniques and trial and error, Rachael developed a process that reimagined and reinterpreted this traditional craft practice within the modern-day context of the UK, this in and of itself raises questions around the year-round availability of citrus fruits in contemporary consumer culture. She aims, through the creation of partially biodegradable jewellery and artefacts from food waste, to highlight issues around sustainability, both personally and practically.
Rachael is an artist and senior lecturer in jewellery and metalwork at Sheffield Hallam University. Through her teaching and creative practice she aims to inspire others to rethink the waste they generate, encouraging engagement through making and by opening-up discussions exploring notions of preciousness and value.
Mini craft gallery
