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King George IV Diamond Diadem in paper
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  • Artist Rachel Smith 
    • Matchbox Diary
    • DIY Mail Art
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  • Artwork
  • Shop
  • Artist Rachel Smith 
    • Matchbox Diary
    • DIY Mail Art
    • About
    • Extra Stuff
  • Workshops
  • Studio
  • Artwork
  • Shop
  • Artist Rachel Smith 
    • Matchbox Diary
    • DIY Mail Art
    • About
    • Extra Stuff
  • Workshops
  • Studio
  • Artwork
  • Shop
  • Artist Rachel Smith 
    • Matchbox Diary
    • DIY Mail Art
    • About
    • Extra Stuff
  • Workshops
  • Studio
  • 0
  • Artwork
  • Shop
  • Artist Rachel Smith 
    • Matchbox Diary
    • DIY Mail Art
    • About
    • Extra Stuff
  • Workshops
  • Studio
  • Artwork
  • Shop
  • Artist Rachel Smith 
    • Matchbox Diary
    • DIY Mail Art
    • About
    • Extra Stuff
  • Workshops
  • Studio
  • Inspiration Crowns

    Crowns are potent symbols of power and wealth. My crowns mimic and mock their more famous counterparts.
    Fabric Crown
    WIP - Tooth Crown
    Pencil Crown
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    Paper Crown - King George IV
    Paper crown - Queen Mary Fringe Tiara
    The sapphire Tiara
    Fringe Crown
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    Heavenly Mother of
    Autumn Crown
  • Fabric Sculpture

    I have been recreating members of the animal kingdom, particularly birds from scraps and cast offs.

    Scops Owl - 2023
    Scops Owl - 2023
    Scops Owl - 2023
    Asian Myna
    Asian Myna
    Asian Myna
    Asian Myna
    Miniature Asian Myna
    Asian Myna
    Large and Mini Asian Myna
    My Heart
    My Heart
    My Heart
    My Heart
    Mermaid
    Quoth the Raven
    Quoth the Raven
    Quoth the Raven
    Fork-tailed sunbird
    Fork-tailed sunbird
    Fork-tailed sunbird
    Fork-tailed sunbird
    Common Kingfisher
    Common Kingfisher
    Common Kingfisher
    Common Kingfisher
    Ruby throated Hummingbird
    Miniature Turtles
    Miniature Beavers
  • Value ⍯ Worth

    When 25 year old Elizabeth ascended to the throne of the United Kingdom in 1953, she was wearing the wealth of nations. She wore a robe of state, a chain of office, earrings, a necklace and a bracelet. She held the rod and sceptre and an orb, both encrusted with jewels from various lands around the world.

     

    The British Crown of State is valued at 21 million and the dress 1.1 million GBP. It feels obscene to think of this concentration of wealth. The absurdity is that they are not owned by this icon, the current Queen of Britain, but by the state. Yet only the Queen can use them for their intended purposes. The value of these items is not the jewels or the platinum, the true worth is the power they represent.

     

    This piece is a representative shows the physical symbols of power, wealth, control and monarchy, full of ritualistic meaning, recreated in worthless, leftover paper.

    Artist wearing the paper dress
    Model in Paper Dress
    Model in Paper Dress
    Completed Dress in Studio
    Crown and dress in Studio
    Coronation Dress Detail
    Coronation Dress Detail
    Artist with Paper Skirt
    Erasing Lines and Tidying Up
    Light and Shadow
    Details of the Skirt
    Detail with Black Background
    Artist at Work
    Dress Bodice
    Cast Shadow
    Detail of Paper Lace
    QEII Crown + Shadow
    QEII Crown + Shadow
    QEII Crown + Shadow
    Artist in the Studio
  • Cut Paper and Light

    I enjoy removing parts to allow the light through and reveal another part of the story.
    Fortress Hill
    Hong Kong Cityscape
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    Life Drawing Study
    Life Drawing Study
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    Life Drawing Study
    Japanese White Eye Lightbox (light on)
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  • Matchbox Diaries

    365 days of matchboxes as I catalogued my days from 22 January 2019 to 21 January 2020. Find the full set here. You can also view the full set on Instagram. I take commissions for personal boxes too.

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    January 24

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    January 25

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    January 28

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    January 29

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    February 1

  • Here and Now

    Comments on life in Hong Kong since June 2019.The Paper Community mobile has been shortlisted for the Hong Kong Human Rights Art Prize 2020 run by the Justice Centre Hong Kong.The Windows of the World mobile can be viewed at this theworldtakesabreath.com. If you would like to purchase a mobile you can get in touch via email or through the contact me page on this website.

    Paper Community
    Paper Community
    Paper Community
    Paper community
    Paper Community
    Windows of the World
    Handouts
    Waving not Drowning
    Smurfing the Mosque
    Cry Me an Ocean
    She has all the Money 2
    Final Sale
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