MA Jewellery

Rachel is a practicing artist, researcher, project and conference organiser, educator and creative entrepreneur. Her practice explores notions of value: what we value and why we value it; through material investigation; subversion; and then market positioning. The studio outcomes are exhibited nationally and internationally. Rachel is interested in portfolio practices and collaborations and how these activities inform each other, impacting and expanding professional practice. Previous projects include JUNK: rubbish to gold and the founding of Polyphonous, an international collective of jewellers with Professor Jivan Astfalck and Laura Bradshaw-Heap. Rachel has also curated exhibitions including Radius at Ocean Studios, Plymouth, SENSEability with Drew Markou, and Suspended in Green with Flameworks. Rachel has a BA (Hons) degree, specialising in Jewellery from Middlesex University and an MA in Jewellery, Silversmithing and Related Products from The School of Jewellery, Birmingham City University. From 2013-14, Rachel was a Visiting Lecturer at Birmingham School of Jewellery. Rachel teaches across the BA (Hons) Craft & Material Practices programme, with specialist teaching in Jewellery, and is the subject tutor for MA Jewellery.

Charlotte is an award-winning printed textile designer and artist championing an innovative, multidisciplinary approach to textiles. She completed her BA (Hons) in Printed Textile Design from the University of Brighton and on completion was awarded a scholarship from the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust to further her research at the Royal College of Art. After completing her MA, Charlotte was selected for TexPrint alongside 24 of the UK’s most promising graduating textile designers to exhibit her work in London and Premiere Vision, Paris. Having created art pieces and textile designs since her undergraduate days, Charlotte took the opportunity to set up a small freelance business, designing prints and products to a wealth of different brands including the National Trust, Alexander McQueen, Ted Baker, Weekday, H&M, Marks and Spencer, Ralph Lauren and Club Monaco. Her rich knowledge of traditional screen printing and dyeing techniques combined with new digital technologies led her to be awarded the digital innovation prize from Miroglio, a prestigious textile mill who she has since worked for. Charlotte worked for three years as a visiting lecturer on the Textile Innovation course at Loughborough University before relocating to Devon to take up her role at Arts University Plymouth. Charlotte has always found the balance of teaching and designing a harmonious relationship and enjoys the challenges and breakthrough moments experienced by students.

Dr Natalia Eernstman is an artist, educator and researcher, specialising in (community) learning through artful and performative means. She is a senior lecturer on the MA Creative Education and runs (research) projects in the field of creative education, community-engaged art practice, intergenerational learning and environmental art. She works in communities and with universities, often around climate change and bridging (social) science and art. With over 10 years of experience Natalia is a skilled facilitator and she has run large-scale site-specific art events. She was part of the Education Department at Wageningen University in The Netherlands and holds a PhD from University Arts London / Falmouth University. Current collaborations are with the University of Gothenburg in a project called ‘Imaginative Disruption’. And she is in the process of setting up a CIC that connects children and their families in creative, collaborative learning to translate debilitating feelings of eco-anxiety in agency. She is also involved in organising the biennial symposium Making Learning at Arts University Plymouth.

Thomas is a collaborative and multidisciplinary researcher whose career to date has explored the intersections between craft, material science, architecture, design, robotics and sculpture. With specialisms that include biotechnology and advanced robotic fabrication, Thomas has published work within leading scientific journals including Nature Nanotechnology, the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America as well as exhibiting at the V&A, Tate and MoMA. He is also a guest lecturer at the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC) Thomas is a lecturer for years 1,2 and 3 within the undergraduate Crafts and Material Practices department and also a Module Leader on MA Crafts and Material Practices. His research interests include biomaterials, advanced digital fabrication, sculpture and architecture.