Rachael Murphy grew up in Lisburn, Northern Ireland. Her passion for textiles began when she was introduced to the sewing machine at Wallace High School in 2004. Rachael graduated from University of Ulster in 2009 with a first class Honours in Fine and Applied Art, specialising in textile art. She is an interdisciplinary designer/maker, working in both the textile and jewellery field. She has exhibited her wall hangings in The Craft & Design Collective in 2008 and in UUB, at the student degree show. Since graduating in July 09 she has exhibited extensively and has gained interest in her textile wall installations from The Craft and Design Collective and Platform Gallery. Rachael was also given the opportunity to become a listed member of The Craft and Design Collective, as a registered artist/craftsperson. She was awarded a scholarship from the Faculty of Art, Design and the Built Environment for outstanding academic achievement in 2008/09. Rachael's current textile jewellery collection 'Measure UP' is selling out in outlets in Northern Ireland, England and Japan and has recently debuted on the catwalk.
Rachael specialises in creating textile art works for the commercial and domestic markets. Her wall installations are suitable for commercial and corporate settings and her smaller scale jewellery works and embellishments are ideal for the general public. Her jewellery is playful, yet also glam and very stylish. She is fascinated by pattern, especially retro, vintage designs and fun motifs. Rachael's collection 'Measure UP' is a new take on the classic flower button hole and portrays haberdashery at its finest. The work is delightfully risky. These playful textiles being treated with a serious intent challenge the preconceptions about jewellery.
