I am an Irish political textile artist whose practice spans art, design and craft. I primarily use needlework to capture intricate narratives, unravelling and reworking socio-political, cultural and environmental concerns. Alongside studio practice, I design and deliver textile based workshops and participatory projects in community and educational settings.
Education
MA Degree in Textile Design | Norwich University of the Arts | Norwich | 2013-2014
BA (Hons) Degree in Textile, Art, Design & Craft | University of Wales: Trinity Saint David: Coleg Sir Gar | Carmarthen | 2010-2013
Foundation diploma in Art & Design | Southern Regional College | Newry | 2009-2010
Grants & Awards
VACMA | Edinburgh Craft Makers Award | Edinburgh City Council & Creative Scotland | 2025 & 2020
Practice Support Fund Edinburgh | Creative Edinburgh/EPAD | 2021
Hardship Fund for Creative Freelancers | Creative Scotland | 2021
a-n Artist Bursary recipient | Time Space Money | The Artist’s Information Company | 2020
Highly Commended for series of works | Annual Awards for Art About Big Global Issues or Concerns | Redline Artworks | 2020 & 2019, 2018, 2017
Support for the Individual Artist Programme | Arts Council of NI | 2019
Norfolk Arts Project Fund | Norfolk County Council | 2019 & 2015
a-n Artist Bursary recipient | supporting self-determined professional development grant | The Artists Information Company | 2019
Artist of the month | Axisweb | 2018
Travel Award | Arts Council of NI | 2017
NI Young Artist of the Year Runner-up | Mid And East Antrim Council | 2016
Ideastap Wrap-Up Fund Brief | 2015
Split Infinitive Trust | 2015
The Eaton Fund | 2014
Arts and Humanities Research Council Award (AHRC) | 2013
Textile Student of the Year Award | University of Wales Trinity Saint David: Coleg Sir Gar | 2013
Residencies
Dar Drouj | Fez Art Residency | Morocco | 2025
International Artists in Residence Programme | Artsland | Fermanagh & Omagh District Council | Derrylin | 2018-2019
Guest Studio Residency Programme | The Art Cube Artists’ Studio’s | Jerusalem | 2017
Artist-in-Residence | George Watson College | Edinburgh | 2016-2017
Gallery Artist-in-Residence | St. Margaret’s House Gallery 1 | Edinburgh | 2016
Textile Artist-in-Residence | Edinburgh College of Art | Edinburgh | 2015-2016
Commissions
Damn Rebel Bitches | Community collaborative banner for Perth Museum | Perth and Kinross Council, together with Culture Perth & Kinross | 2022-2024
Inverkeithing Stitching in Time | Community collaborative textile artwork for Inverkeithing’s Town House | Fife Historic Buildings Trust on behalf of Fife Council | 2021-2022
Voices for Equity | Community arts commission | Shetland Islands Council on behalf of the Shetland Partnership | 2019-2020
Sampler | Private commission | George Watson’s College | 2017
Educational Institute of Scotland campaign banner | Joint Union Liaison Committee at Edinburgh University | 2016
Environmental Collaborative Commission based on the Norfolk Storm Surge | University of East Anglia | 2015
Mural Art | Spur Restaurant’s | Newry & Belfast | 2008-2010
Selected Exhibitions
Anna Cheyne Visual Art Award 2026 | ISLAND Arts Centre | Lisburn | Current
STOP | The House of Smalls | Edinburgh | 2025
Big Art Show | The Art Department | Paisley | 2025, 2024 & 2023
First Annual Group Exhibition | Summerhall | Edinburgh | 2025
Summer Art Exhibition | Garfield Mill | Hawick | 2025
Out of Sight Out of Mind | Summerhall | Edinburgh | 2024 & 2023, 2022
The Secret Salon #2 ‘Reconstruct’ | Create Destroy Studios | London | 2023
Contemporary Textiles Exhibition | Fronteer Gallery | Sheffield | 2022
Winter Open Exhibition 2021 | The Art Cohort | Bath | 2021
Divergent | Anteros Gallery | Norwich (Supported by Norfolk Arts Project Fund) | 2019
Open Studio Exhibition | Aughakillymaude Mummers Centre | Derrylin, Co. Fermanagh | 2019
Between Lands | Whitespace Gallery | Edinburgh | 2019
1 FT SQ Art Exhibition | Strule Arts Centre & Omagh & Blaney Yoga Centre | Fermanagh | 2019
Brexit Respond… (Interactive Exhibition) | Roots Gallery | Edinburgh | Solo | 2018
Éire Intransition | St. Margaret’s House Gallery 2 | Edinburgh [Gallery In-Kind Support] | Solo | 2017
Guest Studio Residency Exhibition & Artist Talk | Art Cube Artist’s Studio’s | Jerusalem | Solo | 2017
Materials, Meaning & Messages Exhibition & Artist Talk | R-Space Gallery | Lisburn | 2016
The SSA 119th annual exhibition | The Royal Scottish Academy | Edinburgh | 2016
NSK Folk Art Rising 1916-2016 | Burren College of Art | Ballyvaughan, Co. Clare | 2016
A-I-R 15/16 Exhibition | Tent Gallery & St. Margaret’s House Gallery 1 | Edinburgh | 2016
NI Young Artist of the Year Finalists Exhibition | The Braid Arts Centre | Ballymena | 2016
One Year On | Stew Gallery | Norwich (Supported by Norfolk Arts Project Fund) | 2015
Summer Salon | Islington Art Factory | London | 2015
Rising Stars | New Ashgate Gallery | Farnham | 2015
Professional Experience – teaching, projects & workshops
Traditional Craft Workshop Leader | Embroidered Brooch Collection Workshop | Groom House Museum | Rosemarkie | 2026
Lead Textile Artist | Unpaid women’s work squad | Renfrewshire Council | Paisley | 2025, 2022-2024
Sewing Teacher | Lámhan | Callander | 2025
Lead Artist | Stitching Our Stories | EthnoCC Workshop | University of Edinburgh | 2025
Research Assistant | Touching Stitches Project | University of Edinburgh | 2017-2022
Visiting Lecturer | Textiles Department | Edinburgh College of Art | 2022, 2020
Guest Lecturer | Network for East Anglian Collaborative Outreach (NEACO) | Norfolk | 2018-2020
Lead Artist | Children’s Bunting-Making Project | Ballast Bank | Inverkeithing | 2022
Art Tutor | Animation week | The Art Club | Edinburgh | 2022
Lead Artist | Co-coordinated, organised & curated group exhibitions in Edinburgh & Norwich | 2015-2020
Workshop Assistant | 100 Years Women’s Vote Banner Project | University of Edinburgh | 2018
Workshop Teacher | Art+798 International Art Education Center | China | 2015-2017
Textile Art Community Project | Bethlehem | Supported by The Arts Council NI Travel Award Scheme | 2017
The Arts Recovery Program Volunteer | Norfolk | 2015
Other Professional training & projects
Participant | L’internationale Museum of the Commons Summer School: Landscape (post) Conflict museum| Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) | Dublin | 2025
Collaborative Textile Project | St. Brigid’s Quilt/Cloak | EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum | 2023
Metal Thread Work, Queen’s Silk Embroidery Course | Royal School of Needlework | Glasgow | 2019
Exhibition Planning & Management Course | Waveney & Blyth Arts | 2015
Selection Panel & Symposium Team | Norwich University of the Arts | 2014
Selected Publications
Artist Feature | Art & Politics, Red Line Art Works | Read here | 2018
Case Study | Nikkita Morgan: Inverkeithing Stitching In Time, Stitching Together | Read here | 2022
Memberships
The Society for Embroidered Work [S.E.W]
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