About Rachael Plassard
Rachael Plassard reinterprets traditional ornament, drawing inspiration from richly decorative styles throughout history. Through each piece, she weaves personal narratives and symbolism, creating evocative jewellery that explores memory, connection and a sense of wonder.
A third-generation jeweller, Rachael grew up making jewellery alongside her mother and grandmother, where a shared appreciation for decoration profoundly shaped her practice. Themes of personal narrative and the reliability and fragility of memory underpin her work, with decorative motifs providing a visual language through which to explore these ideas. This has led to a fascination with the acanthus leaf—a historic symbol of rebirth used to elevate everyday objects. References to historical forms often emerge throughout her work, where shapes reminiscent of Greek headdresses or baroque frames are reimagined through a contemporary lens.
Working intuitively, Rachael marks out and pierces each design by hand, embracing the flow of the making process. Her maximalist approach combines techniques including saw piercing, etching, roller printing, keum boo, gold plating and oxidising to create richly layered surfaces, with repetition and movement shaping each final form.
It is only in the final stages, as the metal is lifted, twisted and formed, that each piece fully comes to life through a process of experimentation and discovery. The resulting works transform precious metals into contemporary ornaments that hold stories, memories and meaning.