About

Studio Marbling (Credit Image Jim Wileman)

Hello, I'm Rachel O'Connell, the founder and designer-maker at ROCWORX®. I am a multi-media marbling artist, leatherworker and educator, living in the South Hams, Devon.  I have over 30 years experience in marbling and I started training as a leatherworker with John Hagger here in Devon over 15 years ago.  I began marbling in my teens and have since worked with artists all over the world, learning and layering up the skills for my marbling craft in a creative environment. I combined marbling on leatherwork over a decade ago.

 

I love marbling as it is so diverse as a surface pattern, offering so much creativity and an opportunity to work on a variety of materials.  When marbling, you learn that you cannot always control the outcome, nor make the same pattern twice, only a similar pattern, as the paints tend to move over the water, so you learn that it is about the process of creativity. The breath-work involved is mindful, helping focus the mind and can ease anxiety. Patterns cannot be replicated, but can be similar, making each piece made unique.

 

Marbling is classed as an endangered heritage craft and I am listed in the Red List of Endangered Crafts, created by the Heritage Crafts Association.  My hope is to show that this heritage craft can be used in contemporary design.  My aim is to create beautiful, practical products to wear and use every day in the home and to wear, and to also help educate, with the goal to pass on this beautiful craft to future younger generations.  I marble using traditional Turkish, European and Japanese techniques, incorporating marbling into my textile items, including leather, as well as my embossed printmaking art work and paper stationery. 

 

I work with leather as it is a sustainable material, a by-product of the food industry and is compostable.  It is a beautiful, yet robust, practical material and, if cared for, will last for hundreds of years.  If you want to know more about the leather or marbling process, I've popped a bit more information in my Leather and Leather Care and  Marbling pages.   

 

As a sustainable artist, I am working towards being net zero aligned, with the help of a sustainable business hub charity, Blue Patch, who support SME creative makers to reduce their carbon impact in their environment.  I use natural materials and repurpose synthetic theatrical textiles, some of which have been donated by local and national organisations.

 

I have a background in, and love for, textile art, sewing and printing, all of which influence my designs.  I have worked in printing, as a silk screen printer; in interior design, as a seamstress and upholsterer; and in mainstream education and community arts projects with indigenous groups overseas.  I also trained in accounting and worked in finance for a number of years. Marbling remained a creative hobby for many years, a chance for me to de-stress from my busy working life.

The pandemic allowed me time to create and, after making a number of items and being asked to sell them, in 2021, I launched my sustainable brand, ROCWORX®.  However it then took another year to finally launch my website shop in 2022.  It has been a steep learning curve for the business side, but I have found great mentorship with Small Business Britain and Theo Paphitis as an SBS winner.  I have also benefitted from being part of Find A Maker (Craft Festival) and Blue Patch, both helping me creatively and  sustainably.

Since turning professional, I have exhibited and sold work in Manchester Art Gallery, Dulwich Picture Gallery, The British Museum, Weald and Downland Living Museum, Brantwood Museum, London Craft Week, Handmade Oxford, MAKE Southwest, New Brewery Arts, and Thelma Hilbert Gallery. I have work in a select galleries and independent shops in Devon. Marbling is an endangered heritage craft. It's a privilege to demonstrate for Heritage Crafts.  I have also demonstrated and sold work at several large craft events, like Craft Festival.

Suminagashi ink marbling abstract art Raindrop Swirl © 2026

In 2026, the Grand Designs Live interior design team chose my abstract art patterns for their backdrops and signage for both the Excel and NEC exhibitions.  Wonderful to think an ancient art form (it's over a thousand years old) is being used in this contemporary way.  After discussions with interior designers I am creating a wall paper range with complimentary homewares and tableware, to launch later this year.  Patterns will be a monochrome abstract pattern and a colourful heritage pattern.