Tessa’s Chalk & Cheese series evolved from her early focus on material exploration, which initially manifested in proto-plastics and handmade plastics. A hybrid plaster-cheese, this historical material is sustainably made from locally sourced materials; Hampshire chalk and waste raw milk from an organic dairy farm in East Sussex. This unusual medium was regularly used in the 14th century as a cement-like flooring material. Taking a cue from cheese making processes, Tessa cast her work in soft, hand-sewn fabric molds from waste fabric, and as such, no two pieces are alike. The fresh product has a distinctive smell redolent of cheese, which dissipates within a few weeks.