Michelle Holmes: Line drawings on repurposed cloth

Like many artists, Michelle Holmes is inspired by her love of the natural world. Michelle’s stitched drawings onto cloth are informed by the freshness and open space of the British countryside around her, her travels to the British and European coast, and the night sky.

Michelle also loves to portray religious icons and unusual buildings, and she has a particular passion for simple, machine-embroidered line drawings of Lowry-like figures onto natural fibres. One of her figures – Betty – developed into a popular character. Michelle still stitches a Betty every week and her musings attract many followers on social media.

Michelle’s free machine embroidery and hand-stitching are sometimes embellished with applique and beading to accurately depict the highlights, tones and textures that she sees, and to enable her to explore her interest in surface qualities.

Michelle graduated in Embroidered Textiles from Loughborough University and since 1994 has worked as a full-time textile artist. She works from a studio at The Ferrers Centre for Arts and Crafts in Staunton Harold on the Leicestershire/Derbyshire border in the UK. She exhibits her work, makes wall-hangings and framed art to sell, and runs several workshops each year.