This shows how seriously I take my job as roving reporter for The Brighton Collective…
One afternoon I was languishing on my sofa, nursing mugs of tea and watching House Guest (daytime interiors show starring Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen) when I noticed the streets of Brighton. A fantastic print (an illustration of the West Pier incorporating a polariod picture) was featured by local artist Rachel Eardley. That was it… I was bolt upright, my notebook was OUT, laptop ON. Who was this Rachel Eardley??? I bring you my findings:
Rachel Eardley is an artist, screenprinter and jeweller… basically a very talented and creative lady! Her print of the West Pier continues to sell well following its appearance on ‘House
Guest’ and each print features an original polariod that really brings the picture to life. She has also done drawings based on The Mock Turtle – the fabulous vintage tearoom in Brighton. The polaroids on these pictures depict lacy tablecloths and kitchen items. I discover that Rachel has a bit of a ‘thing’ for kitchen items – they feature in her drawings, her jewellery and she also features a framed rack of miniature silver kitchen utensils! ‘My inspirations are everyday things like kitchens – I love food, food packaging and I’ve collected kitchen utensils for years.’ Explains Rachel ‘I love everyday objects that evoke memories, 50′s paraphernalia and graphics, miniatures…it’s endless really’.
Rachel features original coins in her jewellery. ‘I first started collecting old coins years ago in Dublin’ explains Rachel ‘and finally got around to creating my coin jewellery 3 years ago’. Her website www.racheleardley.com features an adorable ‘Pudding Coin’ page – complete with her handmade coins (a take on the silver sixpence) and a ‘Rich Christmas Pudding’ recipe.
Rachel’s jewellery also features ‘love tokens’, doves, charm bracelets and her own take on the charm bracelet – the kitchen utensil bracelet!
Rachel did evening courses in silversmithing which she attended with her grandpa from the age of 15. She studied 3d crafts at Brighton, specialising in metal and plastics. She will be leaving Brighton this summer to move to the West Country with her family.
You can see Rachel’s work at ‘Last’ (the shoe shop next to The Mock Turtle in Brighton’s south lanes) and ‘Abode’, Kensington Gardens (the shop that featured on House Guest).
