Ms. Bertoni has been making jewelry for Bertoni Designs since 1989. She also does sculpture, collage, and has taught the arts for over 20 years. Growing up in a family of artists, it was her destiny to become one. Over the years, she has been commissioned by a variety of manufacturers to create original artwork for production. Her work encompasses a variety of mixed media yet her theme always starts with the idea of movement. She studied Art and Education at the undergraduate level and then went on to an MFA in Sculpture. For 15 years she has taught adult programs, private lessons, high school and college level courses. Rachel′s work has sold in galleries, boutiques, craft fairs, and corporations. Her work is in many private collections as well.
Artist Statement
My work starts with the idea of movement. In thinking about movement in time, I slowly developed the idea of capturing a specific moment in time. As my work has been evolving, I’ve become more involved in a search back to moments in time that have become etched in my mind as personal memories.
I’ve gone through a tremendous personal growth process while creating. What began as a general concept has developed into an emotional search into a path of life, and what is seen along the way. It has been a soul-searching experience and with each new creation I learn more about my work and myself.
Many of the pieces also involve the idea of light, which to me, represents the light from within. Moving from one place to another and the exposure of your inner self, is at the core of my work. I often find myself asking questions such as:
“Is this a momentary experience or a permanent memory?”
“What just happened a moment ago?”
“Have I marked an important moment in time?”
These questions and more are all part of the current search into my existence. Hopefully my artwork exposes you to the search and may cause you to think about similiar aspects within your own life.