Gypsea & C0.

Hi, I'm Rachel!

I'm originally from Quebec and moved to Vancouver Island about four years ago. I'm a mom of three boys, a wife, and... I guess I can finally call myself an artist!

Gypsea & Co. has truly become a family adventure.

My oldest son, Adam, is a big part of Gypsea & Co. He often joins me at local markets around Vancouver Island. My husband builds my displays, is always there to lend a hand, and has been my biggest supporter from the very beginning. I'm so lucky to have a family that helps make this little dream possible.

Our dog, Gypsy, is convinced every beach belongs to her and she could spend her days chasing rocks, so it only made sense that she became our little mascot.

For me, Gypsea & Co. brings together everything I love. It's where I get to create, experiment, and share my work with others. I fell in love with playing with colours, textures, and materials, and now I can't imagine not making things.

Being able to work from home, surrounded by the forests and beaches that inspire me every day, feels incredibly special. Through Gypsea & Co., I hope to share a little piece of that island life with you.

Thanks so much for being here. 🐚

How I create

Every piece I make starts with a bit of treasure hunting. I love browsing local thrift shops, looking for secondhand beads with character like wood, glass, ceramic, seed beads, coral… and every now and then I get lucky and find gemstones or freshwater pearls. Those days feel like little gifts!

I also love visiting The Beads R Us in Nanaimo. Ronnie always shares his bead wisdom and helps me pick out beautiful gemstones like agate, coral, opal, Krobo beads and much more.

Supporting local feels good, and his shop is a real gem itself!!

When I start creating, I don’t always have a plan!!!

I pick a colour palette that inspires me, spread out my favourite beads, and just let things flow.

Sometimes I follow an idea, sometimes I just follow what feels right in the moment.

That freedom is what I love most, mixing textures, colours, and stories into something that feels organic and alive. I hope that when you find a piece that catches your eye, it brings you the same joy I felt while making it.

I work with a variety of textures and colours when designing my creations.

For my accessories, such as driftwood mobiles, keychains, and car diffusers, I use mainly wood, ceramic, shells, and glass.

Some of my favourite materials for making necklaces, bracelets, anklets, and glasses chains are gemstones, seed beads, shells, and freshwater pearls, each bringing its own charm to the piece.