Professional Practice - Rachel Carter

 Rachel Carter's talk was probably my favourite so far. She showed us some of her pieces that she wove out of wax, as well as a miniature version of her bronze sculpture from the 'Pilgrim Woman' project. I like that she has researched weaving from different cultures and incorporated them into her work to build textures and meaning. In her 'Standing in this Place' project, she engages with women from around Nottingham to produce braids to be cast into her sculptures, and I am really excited to have had the opportunity to be part of this - I got to learn a new skill using a fill-gap braiding kit and be included in her future sculpture for the new Broad Marsh. Carter's work gives women's history a voice, and the fact that she involves other women like me and hundreds of others represents the important role that women play in society both currently and in the past.

Part of Carter's success comes from her clever placement of work. She recognised that her sculptures had very high production values, and that only people with a decent amount of disposable income could afford to buy them. This lead her to using the RHS Chelsea Flower Show as a platform for her pieces. It was a good choice because the sculptures are designed to be placed in the landscape, and the demographic of the flower show audience fits perfectly because they are people who enjoy gardening and have the money and space for Carter's sculptures. This inspired me a lot because I hadn't previously thought about how important it is to find the right space for my work in order to reach the right target audience and maximise sales, so in the future I will remember to put a lot of consideration towards this.


Lecture Notes:


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