The Subversiver Stitcher
For as long as I can remember I have always been making something. In retrospect, I may well have picked this desire to create up from my nan and my mum, who were always making something as well.
I was an analogue child that was closer to the make do and mend generation than the digital children of the 21 century, who have a screen that feeds their desires, but not necessarily their creativity.
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For that I will always be truly grateful.
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I always loved to embroider, but as the years passed and my life became more focused on single parenting and domestic issues, I seemed to have lost the desire to create. I just lost my creative mojo.
Then one day, several years ago, I attended an exhibition on mental health and saw the most incredible sight. It was a sampler that had been sewn by an inmate of a Victorian Asylum.
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The inmate Mary Frances Heaton had used a needle and thread and other accessible materials to petition Queen Victoria about her own personal experiences of her own social injustice that had befallen her.
In that moment, as I stood there looking at this piece. I was transfixed and amazed by her ingenuity and her passion to be heard.
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Her passion reignited my desire to create and to use embroidery and textiles as a basis to draw attention to social issues and to empower women, especially those that deserve more attention than afforded them.
Mary was incarcerated for 41 years, but she never gave up using her voice. I like to think you can hear an echo of her in mine.
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Since then, my work has featured in solo exhibitions as well a group shows.
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I am continuously inspired and welcome all interest in my work, exhibitions, commissions and collaborations,
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I am happy to report that my creative desire has now been fully reinstated.
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Exhibitions
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2018
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Fighting Talk/Shefest 2 – 15 March Chapel Walk Galley Sheffield
https://www.shefest.org.uk/fringe-festival-2018/fighting-talk-an-art-exhibition
Dame of the Hour 6 – 22 March St James Wine Vaults Bath
https://www.bathspa.ac.uk/news-and-events/events/dame-of-the-hour-exhibition/
Thumbnail Group Show 9 May – 23 May Nolia's Gallery London
Solo Show 19 June – 29 July 44AD Artspace Bath
http://www.44ad.net/associate-artist-events.html
50/50 Group Show 3 August – 23 August Crow's Nest Gallery London
https://www.artistic-uk.org/50-50
Cash is King 30 August – 8 September The Saatchi Gallery London https://www.rebelnottaken.com/cash-is-king
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http://saatchistore.saatchigallery.com/147-cash-is-king
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https://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-new-european/20180830/281552291726909
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BLACK Group Show 18 December - 20 December The Crypt Gallery Euston Road,
London,
NW1 2BA
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http://cryptgallery.org/event/black/
Work donated to Fivers4artists https://www.artistic-uk.org/fivers-for-artistic Cas
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2019
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Viva Iconic Group Show May 18 - Viva Dalston 2 Stoke Newington Rd, Hackney Downs, London N16 7XN
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One Love Group Show May 26 - London
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Cash is King 2 Money Talks - Notes featured in the second publication, exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery 21 August - 8 September.
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Cash is King - Mad in Margate Group Show - 18 October - 3 November
Artgame 18 Marine Drive, Margate, Kent UK CT9 1DH https://www.artgame.co.uk/event/mad-in-margate-private-view/
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For The Love Of Money Art Exhibition - 9 November - 31 December Studio 45, 45 Marshalls Row, Brighton BN1 4JU
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S.E.W International Contemporary Stitched Art Exhibition - https://www.societyforembroideredwork.com/events.html 12 November - 17 November The Clerkenwell Gallery, 20 Clerkenwell Road, London, EC1R 0DP
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The Foreplay Art Show -1 of 4 Female Artists Group Show 24 November - 31 December
At The Other One Gallery Art Space 1 The Cockpit, Saffron Walden, Essex
CB10 1HJ
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5 YEARS 50 PHING THINGS CHRISTMAS CHARITY AUCTION - The Ben Oakley Gallery Greenwich Market, 9 Turnpin Lane, Greenwich, London, SE10 9JA - 14 December
https://www.benoakleygallery.com/5-years-50-phing-things/
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2021
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The Time of Her Life Virtual Group Show May 1-31 https://www.thehouseofsmalls.art/
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Hands Off The Wall
Street Art & Graffiti Festival For Women 30 July - 1 August Munich
https://www.handsoffthewall.com/
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The Volatile State Virtual Group Show August 1 - 31 https://www.thehouseofsmalls.art/
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Background Bob and His Amazing Friends Guess Who's Back - Firstsite, Lewis Gardens, High Street,
Colchester, Essex, CO1 1JH18 September 2021 - Sunday 9 January 2022 https://firstsite.uk/event/background_bob-and-his-amazing-friends-guess-whos-back/
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London International Paste-Up Festival November 4 - 7
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Mirror Mirror on the Wall - The House of Smalls 6 November - 4 December
https://www.thehouseofsmalls.art/mirrormirroronthewall
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2022
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The Covid Chronicles Touring Exhibitions UK 2022 - 2023
https://www.thecovidchronicle.org/
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I Am Woman Project
Instagram @iamwomanproject - To create 2D panel/banner/hanging featuring a woman constructed from individual fabric patches denoting the experiences of women.
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Confined - The House of Smalls 15 May - June 12
https://www.thehouseofsmalls.art/confined
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Shadow - The House of Smalls 26 - 29 August
https://www.thehouseofsmalls.art/shadow
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Time of Her Life II - The House of Smalls 26 - 29 August
https://www.thehouseofsmalls.art/thetimeofherlifeii
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2023
Sweary Dusters in Collaboration with The Profanity Embroidery Group (PEG)
Twelve Taps Gin Bar, Whitstable: 15th – 28th February
https://domesticdusters.wordpress.com/duster-exhibitions/
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Walk The Line - The House of Smalls Gallery 2 - 18 March
https://www.thehouseofsmalls.art/walktheline
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Through Her Eyes:A Celebration of Female Artists - The Lyric Hammersmith 9 - 31 March
Made up entirely of art by local female artists, this exhibition aims to celebrate the world through their eyes and share their stories.
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The Subverted Vintage Tea Towel Series - Newark Works Bath 26 May - 11 June
The Subverted Vintage Tea Towels https://www.fringeartsbath.co.uk/subverted
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The Time Of Her Life III - The House of Smalls Gallery 27 May - 24 June
Group show https://www.thehouseofsmalls.art/thetimeofherlifeiii
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Doll - The House of Smalls Gallery July 8 - 5 August
Group show https://www.thehouseofsmalls.art/doll
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BOLLOCKS & PYAMAS EXHIBITION - Atom Gallery, 127 Green Lanes, London N16 9DA
Nov 11 - Dec 2
Group show https://www.atomgallery.co.uk/bollocks-and-pyjamas-exhibition.html
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We Are The Witches The House of Smalls Gallery 11 Nov - 16 Dec https://www.thehouseofsmalls.art/wearethewitches
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Re-Embroidering Blackwork The Unstitched Coif & Other Works Bloc Projects 19 - 23 Dec
https://www.blocprojects.co.uk/exhibitions-events/2023/reembroidering-blackwork
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2024
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Pillowtalk - 7 February - ongoing
https://pegwhitstable.co.uk/exhibitions/
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The Subversive Stitcher Tea Towel Series 2020 - 2024 Riverside Studios London March 7th - April 29th
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Moral Fibre The House of Smalls Edinburgh1 August - 25 August
Moral Fibre | Exhibition | The House of Smalls Art Gallery | Edinburgh
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The Time of Her Life IV 28 September - 27 October
The Time of Her Life IV | Exhibition | The House of Smalls Art Gallery | Edinburgh
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The Subverted Vintage Tea Towel Series The Knitting & Stitching Show 10 October - 13 October
Holly Searle - The Knitting & Stitching Show (theknittingandstitchingshow.com)
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2025
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Childhood, interrupted The House of Smalls Edinburgh 30 January - 1 March
childhood, interrupted | Exhibition | The House of Smalls Art Gallery | Edinburgh
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Craft, Connect and Create for International Women’s Day Croydon Culture 28th Feb - 29th Mar 2025
Craft, Connect and Create for International Women's Day - This is Croydon
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The Wendy Project 10th - 29th Mar 2025 - Riesco Gallery, Museum of Croydon, Croydon Clocktower
The Wendy Project - This is Croydon
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CONTEXTURE Feat I Am Woman Project The House of Smalls Edinburgh 21 March - 19 April
HOME | The House of Smalls | Edinburgh Art Gallery
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Publications & Interviews
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Cash is King 2018
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Cash is King 2 2019
https://www.rebelnottaken.com/product-page/cash-is-king-2-book
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Unravelling Women's Art 2020/21
https://www.mrxstitch.com/unravelling-womens-art/
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Background Bob 2 2021
https://inspiringcity.com/2021/02/25/background-bob-creates-amazing-art-for-charity/
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The Covid Chronicles 2022
https://www.thecovidchronicle.org/
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Embroidery Magazine 2022
https://shop.exacteditions.com/embroidery-magazine
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2023
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Online interview with The Fashion and Textile Museum
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2024
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Ministry of Arts Podcast
Ep.249 Holly Searle aka The Subversive Stitcher
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​‘Meet The Artist’ (No: 74) | Holly Searle | Embroiderer - YouTube
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BBC London Shay Kaur Grewal - International Women's Day and The Wendy Project
BBC Radio London - Shay Kaur Grewal, 06/03/2025
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Workshops
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2022
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The Fashion and Textile Museum - Subversive Stitching Tea Towels
https://fashiontextilemuseum.org/
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2023
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Newark Works Bath - Subverted Stitching Tea Towels
https://www.fringeartsbath.co.uk/subverted
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The Fashion and Textile Museum - Subversive Stitching
https://www.fashiontextilemuseum.org/events/workshops/subversive-stitching
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2024
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The Fashion and Textile Museum - Subversive Stitching
https://www.fashiontextilemuseum.org/events/workshops/subversive-stitching-4
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Awards
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Dame of The Hour Prize 2018
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Helen Putler Arts Prize 2023 - https://www.fringeartsbath.co.uk/news/2023/7/23/helen-putler-arts-prize-2023
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Collaborations
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I Am Woman Project 2022 - 2025 Instagram @iamwomanproject22
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A joint collaborations between myself and 60 + female artists to create a woman out of patches that record their experience of being a woman.
Making you think with a needle and thread
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