The Maker
Rachel Fitzpatrick works at the interface between art and design using a variety of tactile materials to create wonderfully playful one-off installations and limited edition pieces in contemporary lighting, for corporate and private interiors and special events. Although she uses a variety of materials in her work, Rachel’s favourite material and the one she is most drawn to is Velcro (hook and loop tape).
The Object: Weaver, 2009
60 cm circumference x 120 cm h (plus lighting cable). Velcro, feathers, fibre optics, aluminium frame. £1,800
The Making
This work is inspired by the intricate nests of weaver birds, which are painstakingly built from fine leaf fibres, grass and twigs. Rachel’s contemporary take on a chandelier involves filaments of fibre optics, springing out with eruptions of twinkling lights. The work is a handmade sculpture, incorporating delicate feathers with ribbons of Velcro, each piece being hand-dyed. Colours can be altered to suit any requirements.
Accolades
Bespoke versions of this piece exist, made for many private clients and for interior designers such as Ghislaine Viñas Interiors in New York and Jane Hallworth in Los Angeles. This piece has been a great starting point for many of Rachel’s clients and has led to commissions in many forms.
Rachel Fitzgerald on her Signature Style
‘I love the line that the edge of a piece of material creates; the material Velcro allows me to emphasise this line. I take my inspiration from the magnificent sea and rural landscapes of my native Northern Ireland. My pieces of art and objects have a fluid, often amorphous visual quality redefining their purpose and shapes whether they are used as decorative lighting, wall and floor coverings, body adornment or children’s toys.’
Expert Eye
Playful nods to nature with a seriously gorgeous aesthetic sensibility, this work looks amazing alight or otherwise, and creates a real focus and talking point in a living space. Adam Thow