The Subversiver Stitcher
Holly Searle AKA The Subversive Stitcher is an award-winning Textile Artist was born in Central London during the last century.
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An analogue child, she grew up closer to the make do and mend generation, than the digital one of the 21 century. She hails from a line of creative women who liked to stitch, embroider, and knit.
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" I always loved being creative, but as the years flew by and my time became more focused on other life stuff, there was no window for it.
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Then one day, several years ago, I attended an exhibition on mental health at The Wellcome Collection and saw the most incredible sight. It was a sampler that had been made by an inmate of a Victorian Asylum.
The inmate Mary Frances Heaton had used a needle and thread to petition Queen Victoria about her individual experiences of the social injustices that had befallen her and that had led to her confinement.
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That moment, seeing her work changed my entire perception of how working with textiles could be used as a platform for raising awareness about issues that weren’t normally associated with samplers. I found it very emotive and extremely inspirational.
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Her passion reignited my own desire to find the time to create again. By using embroidery and textiles as a basis to draw attention to issues I feel strongly about, especially those that affect women, my aim has always been to echo a likeminded integrity for the truth by subverting the norm.
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Mary was incarcerated for 41 years and during that time, she never gave up sewing samplers as a platform for her voice to be heard.”
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Holly has collaborated on several community projects as well private commissions. She also hosts Subverted Stitching Workshops as well as continuing with her own art practice.
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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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The Ascent of Man Feat I Am Woman Project The House of Smalls Edinburgh 23 May - 21 June
HOME | The House of Smalls | Edinburgh Art Gallery
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Publications, Interviews and Podcasts
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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, 06/03/20254
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2025
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Needlexchange Podcast in conversation with Mr X Stitch Jamie Chalmers​
​Holly Searle - Subversive Stitcher [NX096]
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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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