The Subversiver Stitcher
Holly Searle AKA The Subversive Stitcher is an award-winning Textile Artist was born in Central London during the last century.
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.
" 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
Exhibitions
2018
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
http://saatchistore.saatchigallery.com/147-cash-is-king
https://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-new-european/20180830/281552291726909
BLACK Group Show 18 December - 20 December The Crypt Gallery Euston Road,
London,
NW1 2BA
http://cryptgallery.org/event/black/
Work donated to Fivers4artists https://www.artistic-uk.org/fivers-for-artistic Cas
2019
Viva Iconic Group Show May 18 - Viva Dalston 2 Stoke Newington Rd, Hackney Downs, London N16 7XN
One Love Group Show May 26 - London
Cash is King 2 Money Talks - Notes featured in the second publication, exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery 21 August - 8 September.
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/
For The Love Of Money Art Exhibition - 9 November - 31 December Studio 45, 45 Marshalls Row, Brighton BN1 4JU
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
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
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/
2021
The Time of Her Life Virtual Group Show May 1-31 https://www.thehouseofsmalls.art/
Hands Off The Wall
Street Art & Graffiti Festival For Women 30 July - 1 August Munich
https://www.handsoffthewall.com/
The Volatile State Virtual Group Show August 1 - 31 https://www.thehouseofsmalls.art/
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/
London International Paste-Up Festival November 4 - 7
Mirror Mirror on the Wall - The House of Smalls 6 November - 4 December
https://www.thehouseofsmalls.art/mirrormirroronthewall
2022
The Covid Chronicles Touring Exhibitions UK 2022 - 2023
https://www.thecovidchronicle.org/
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.
Confined - The House of Smalls 15 May - June 12
https://www.thehouseofsmalls.art/confined
Shadow - The House of Smalls 26 - 29 August
https://www.thehouseofsmalls.art/shadow
Time of Her Life II - The House of Smalls 26 - 29 August
https://www.thehouseofsmalls.art/thetimeofherlifeii
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/
Walk The Line - The House of Smalls Gallery 2 - 18 March
https://www.thehouseofsmalls.art/walktheline
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.
The Subverted Vintage Tea Towel Series - Newark Works Bath 26 May - 11 June
The Subverted Vintage Tea Towels https://www.fringeartsbath.co.uk/subverted
The Time Of Her Life III - The House of Smalls Gallery 27 May - 24 June
Group show https://www.thehouseofsmalls.art/thetimeofherlifeiii
Doll - The House of Smalls Gallery July 8 - 5 August
Group show https://www.thehouseofsmalls.art/doll
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
We Are The Witches The House of Smalls Gallery 11 Nov - 16 Dec https://www.thehouseofsmalls.art/wearethewitches
Re-Embroidering Blackwork The Unstitched Coif & Other Works Bloc Projects 19 - 23 Dec
https://www.blocprojects.co.uk/exhibitions-events/2023/reembroidering-blackwork
2024
Pillowtalk - 7 February - ongoing
https://pegwhitstable.co.uk/exhibitions/
The Subversive Stitcher Tea Towel Series 2020 - 2024 Riverside Studios London March 7th - April 29th
Moral Fibre The House of Smalls Edinburgh1 August - 25 August
Moral Fibre | Exhibition | The House of Smalls Art Gallery | Edinburgh
The Time of Her Life IV 28 September - 27 October
The Time of Her Life IV | Exhibition | The House of Smalls Art Gallery | Edinburgh
The Subverted Vintage Tea Towel Series The Knitting & Stitching Show 10 October - 13 October
Holly Searle - The Knitting & Stitching Show (theknittingandstitchingshow.com)
2025
Childhood, interrupted The House of Smalls Edinburgh 30 January - 1 March
childhood, interrupted | Exhibition | The House of Smalls Art Gallery | Edinburgh
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
The Wendy Project 10th - 29th Mar 2025 - Riesco Gallery, Museum of Croydon, Croydon Clocktower
The Wendy Project - This is Croydon
CONTEXTURE Feat I Am Woman Project The House of Smalls Edinburgh 21 March - 19 April
HOME | The House of Smalls | Edinburgh Art Gallery
The Ascent of Man Feat I Am Woman Project The House of Smalls Edinburgh 23 May - 21 June
The Ascent of Man | Exhibition | The House of Smalls Art Gallery | Edinburgh
The Subverted Vintage Tea Towel Series 2020 - 2025 Threads Swindon Textiles Festival 7-19 July
We Are The Witches II, We Are, Hear The House of Smalls Edinburgh 1-30 August
HOME | The House of Smalls | Edinburgh Art Gallery
Beneath The Veil The House of Smalls 3 October - 1 November
Beneath The Veil | Exhibition | The House of Smalls Art Gallery | Edinburgh
Publications, Interviews and Podcasts
Cash is King 2018
Cash is King 2 2019
https://www.rebelnottaken.com/product-page/cash-is-king-2-book
Unravelling Women's Art 2020/21
https://www.mrxstitch.com/unravelling-womens-art/
Background Bob 2 2021
https://inspiringcity.com/2021/02/25/background-bob-creates-amazing-art-for-charity/
The Covid Chronicles 2022
https://www.thecovidchronicle.org/
Embroidery Magazine 2022
https://shop.exacteditions.com/embroidery-magazine
2023
Online interview with The Fashion and Textile Museum
2024
Ministry of Arts Podcast
Ep.249 Holly Searle aka The Subversive Stitcher
‘Meet The Artist’ (No: 74) | Holly Searle | Embroiderer - YouTube
BBC London Shay Kaur Grewal - International Women's Day and The Wendy Project
BBC Radio London - Shay Kaur Grewal, 06/03/20254
2025
Needlexchange Podcast in conversation with Mr X Stitch Jamie Chalmers
Holly Searle - Subversive Stitcher [NX096]
Textile Protest
Artists, activism and the historical power of cloth in protest Julia Triston
Textile Protest - Batsford Books
Workshops
2022
The Fashion and Textile Museum - Subversive Stitching Tea Towels
https://fashiontextilemuseum.org/
2023
Newark Works Bath - Subverted Stitching Tea Towels
https://www.fringeartsbath.co.uk/subverted
The Fashion and Textile Museum - Subversive Stitching
https://www.fashiontextilemuseum.org/events/workshops/subversive-stitching
2024
The Fashion and Textile Museum - Subversive Stitching
https://www.fashiontextilemuseum.org/events/workshops/subversive-stitching-4
Awards
Dame of The Hour Prize 2018
Helen Putler Arts Prize 2023 - https://www.fringeartsbath.co.uk/news/2023/7/23/helen-putler-arts-prize-2023
Collaborations
I Am Woman Project 2022 - 2025 Instagram @iamwomanproject22
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