5 x 2.5 x 1 cm
Bronze, sterling silver, powder coating
My coral series is a body of work that I created with bronze, sterling silver, and powdercoating. I am interested in the idea of making work that represents ocean corals that I have imagined. I use a technique called cuttlebone casting to create the majority of the texture. Cuttlebone casting is a meditative process for me. I carve into the bone of a cuttlefish and each layer reveals the texture beneath. Once I have my desired form, I make a mold and pour molten metal directly into the bone. As a result, a beautiful and repetitive texture is created. Afterwards, I pierce away parts of the metal to create patterns. The strongest forms are then molded and reproduced in lost wax castings. I then manipulate, form and combine the castings together. Lastly, I sift or electrically bond durable powder coated colors to the surface of the castings. The bright and vibrant colors create more depth to the beautiful motifs inspired by imagined coral.
Arielle Brackett is a metalsmith and mixed media artist based in Portland, Oregon. She received her BFA in metals at the Oregon College of Art and Craft in 2017. She teaches metalsmith classes at Multnomah Art Center and Ninety Twenty Studios. She has shown nationally and internationally, including Canada, Romania and Russia. Brackett was awarded best in metals at the Colorado Gallery of the Arts in Littleton, Colorado and the Art Center of Estes Park in Estes Park, Colorado and Juror's Choice Award in Jewelry from CraftForms 2021.
She received two scholarships to paint in Le Barroux, France and Grand Junction, Colorado. In May 2016, Brackett was granted a full ride scholarship to attend a two-week glass workshop at the Penland School of Craft. In the summer of 2021, Brackett received a scholarship to participate in a collaborative project called Frogwood.
Brackett is published in Jams 2018, which showcases her installation piece called, People Don't See the Weight. She was recently published in a book called How Art Heals, by Andra Stanton. In 2019, she had a piece in a runway show, Shift in Portland, Oregon. Brackett showed work in Exhibition in Motion in Chicago in 2019 and online in 2021.
As a practicing craftswomen, she has continued to challenge herself through large installations, small scale sculpture, large wearables and jewelry. Aside from her studio practice, Brackett is building her art community. She is a founding member of a Portland based art collective, New New Collective. She is excited to continue to share knowledge, build community, gain skills, collaborate, learn, make, create and grow. Her enthusiasm for artistry motivates her to be a diligent, invested, and a dedicated maker.